Chapter 63: Sinister

The Silver Moon was once again devoured by the shadows and then set aflame.

The Crimson Moon burned brighter than anything in the starless sky. Flames danced across its edges in patterns, as if the celestial body was being consumed and regenerated simultaneously in endless cycle.

The oppressive, deep darkness retreated before that terrible light and let the world be illuminated by crimson radiance that painted everything in shades of blood.

All around the clearing, the forest came alive, the green leaves took the shade of golden that looked as if they were on fire, and the forest devoured anything that dared stay out.

Ishiki sat alone, at the roof of a wooden house. Observing the four people who had returned after the hunt and brought back a small withering beast with them.

And still one of them had his hand broken.

Ishiki sighed as the cold wind sent shivers down his spine.

’Another hunt tomorrow. Why can’t these fools target something bigger?’

Because bigger things kill them. That’s why.

He stood up and carefully jumped down the roof. It was about time for him to meet the princess, and show her the dark truth.

As he walked through the settlement’s winding paths between ancient houses, he saw two people—a young girl and young boy—kissing in shadows behind a structure.

Hidden in darkness’s embrace, bodies pressed together with desperate intensity, telling that this might be their last opportunity for such connection.

A red hue suddenly found it’s way on his face and he immediately looked the other way, hasting his steps.

’Such shamelessness.’

But he couldn’t genuinely blame them, if being honest.

It was natural to develop such feelings—perhaps even more so in circumstances they currently endured. When surrounded by death and despair, when futures seemed measured in days rather than years, humans sought connection with desperate urgency.

’Who knows if we’ll live to see the sun again?

’

Within another minute Ishiki reached the Temple.

He found the graceful figure of the princess already standing in front of the collapsed metal door of the temple’s perimeter.

He slowed his approach, forcing his body towards calm. His heart was still frantically hammering because of what he’d witnessed moments ago.

’Idiot. Don’t think about anything weird. Focus on the task.’

He’d been fortunate until now. Firstly and foremost because he only conversed with the Princess on rare occasions and minimal exposure meaning minimal opportunities for [Phantom Voice] to betray him.

Other reason being that lately, he had somewhat learned to control his thoughts or maybe not so much. And the fact that the corruption didn’t activate until someone asked a question or he himself had an urge to say something out loud.

“Eh! Ishiki?”

Ishiki was brought out of his thoughts by the princess waving directly in front of his face. His face flustered as his gaze met hers and he realized that he has been zoning out.

He took several rapid steps backward and forced smile that looked strained even to himself.

“H.. Hi, uh… so, Princess… let’s get moving. We don’t have time.”

’Screw that… what am I saying? The Crimson Night just started. We have hours.’

’Damn it, I sound like a complete numbskull.’

Yuki looked at him and frowned, but then a shadowed expression masked her face.

’Why did he ask for my name, when he just wanted to call me princess.’

She sighed and then looked back at him. “So, please… lead the way.”

Ishiki nodded, taking several deep breaths to center himself, then jumped over the metal gate to enter the temple’s perimeter.

He shuddered as his feet touched ground beyond the walls.

Even after they’d explored the entire structure, even after confirming nothing actively hostile resided within, the place gave him profound unease.

The area within the walls had transformed dramatically from his first visit. The whole expanse that had once been covered with impenetrable wilderness, now lay empty and desolate.

They continued along the rock road constructed centuries ago—ancient stone path leading to stairs that climbed toward the temple’s main wooden gate.

The two of them pushed doors open together and the warm and ancient wind accompanied by a strong stench of blood greeted them.

’Still the same, huh?’

But then he frowned, did this place always reek of blood?

’Maybe?’

It was ghastly location after all. Dozens of skeletons, obsidian platforms, statue with empty hands and crumbling halos.

’What’s one more horror among so many?’

They both entered the warm embrace of the temple walls. It was eerily confronting from the outside cold. The reason being, the dozens of Scones still burning bright with the flames they had provided.

They didn’t know how? But, this was still mundane compared to the things they had seen.

The statue still stood the same, commanding authority of the temple.

Its face remained as serene as before. Expression frozen in calmness of benevolence or cruel amusement depending on the mental state.

There was blood splattered across its hands that still poised as if they were holding something. Below, the obsidian platform was surrounded by a dozen skeletons covered in dust and one of them looking fresh, without any dust over it.

’Damn it! It’s as sinister as the last time.’

Feeling a shiver run down his spine, Ishiki whispered. “Let’s move.”

The two of them hastily crossed the chamber toward stairs, footsteps echoing in oppressive silence.

They climbed slowly to the first floor, each step producing creaks that sounded amplified in the stillness.

There too, everything was ostensibly unchanged.

The pot made up of obsidian material rested at the center of room with nothing else around the room.

Tip!

Suddenly, both of them were alerted by the sound of a drop falling into a larger mass of liquid.

’What… was that?’

Ishiki looked around frantically but found nothing. He examined the ceiling closely but discovered no evidence of moisture.

’Where did that sound come from?’

But there was nothing around, so. He shrugged aside the anomaly and walked toward the wall.

Yuki stopped beside him, close enough that he could smell that clean scent again.

“Now what?” She asked.

Ishiki summoned the Curved bone and replied with a smirk. “We cut out way through.”

At the end, it took them almost two hours cutting a small piece from the wall, large enough to let them both through, without causing any harm to the building.

Physical labor that left arms aching and sweat soaking clothing despite cold air.

Now they both stood atop the temple’s roof.

Feasting their vision upon the marvelous sight that had haunted Ishiki since first glimpsing it weeks ago:

Golden walls of the island floating in sky above the large clearing that marked the Crimson Canopy’s end. Fortress hovering, defying gravity through means unknown, connected to ground by five metal bridges descending like threads.

The sky was slowly changing as well. Dark clouds moved with low growls.

Silence stretched between them for prolonged duration.

The princess was wearing a dark expression as she looked at the Golden walled island far away. Her gaze was peering deep into the Crimson Canopy as well.

A thunder strike illuminated the world in bright colors for a second that felt foreign. Then a loud rumbling sound broke through the silence.

It was going to rain.

Then after long silence. The Princess finally spoke.

“I… I know how we can get out of here.”

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