Chapter 235: The Hall of Illusory Vessels

But whether that was truly what the masters meant, Thyrran still found himself needing to come up with something, because clearly the subject was an anomaly.

Because below them, the same mortal who had been trembling just moments ago was now walking around calmly while lighting the braziers in succession.

Every time one lit up, the mortal would start fanning it with both hands, and all the guardians stood by to watch as the flames actually grew, coaxed by that insane hand-fanning of his.

Since when could such a thing be done?

And what kind of artifact was that strange little object that could not even be detected and somehow bypassed the chamber’s suppression?

Finally, the mortal reached the fifth brazier, and the guardians looked toward Thyrran, silently asking what they were supposed to do now.

However, before the serpentine guardian could respond, the mortal’s call echoed from the veil below.

“Thyrran? I think I managed to light them all up. Where should I go now?” This time, his voice sounded less cautious and more expectant.

Thyrran’s tail tapped as he thought.

Riley called out again, “Thyrran?”

Then again, “Thy—rran?”

But Thyrran still did not answer immediately, because he was trying to make up his mind.

By Riley’s third call, the guardian finally responded in the mortal’s mind.

Wait for me.

The guardians all froze.

“Is he serious?” one whispered.

“Is he really going to interfere?” another asked, horrified.

“Thyrran, are you actually invoking your right here?” a third questioned, voice squeaking.

Thyrran, however, had not been left with much of a choice. What else could they possibly do when faced with someone like the subject?

So he answered the others plainly.

“Because I have to see it for myself.”

The guardians stared at him.

They all knew he was already watching, but after careful thought, Thyrran realized he wanted to see it up close. Not only because of his duty, but because he was extremely curious.

One guardian slithered forward in concern. “Thyrran, wait, have you thought about how to even go about this?”

“Yes, I have,” Thyrran replied as he began to move away.

He told himself that depending on the mortal’s answer, he would decide which option to use.

But first, the mortal had to pass. After all, he, an ancient guardian, could not possibly sacrifice everything for someone unworthy.

And with that final thought, Thyrran disappeared into the veil, heading straight toward Riley.

__

The poor mortal jumped in surprise because when he turned around, he realized that Thyrran was already there, staring at him with those very judgmental eyes.

Riley had not sensed a thing.

Only when he noticed that the giant serpent was not even touching the floor did he understand how Thyrran managed to appear without a sound. The puny human gulped, because that also meant he could be swallowed whole without even knowing it happened.

Thankfully, he did not have time to dwell on that terrible revelation, because the guardian began speaking to him.

Do you wish to proceed?

Riley blinked.

Proceed?

He was confused because he did not realize that a choice existed.

But after thinking for a moment, he realized he did want to proceed. Because if not now, then when?

He also had a promise to fulfill. And while his pouty dragon would probably accept it if he turned back now, Riley felt that it would be better to enter a relationship when they both had a clearer understanding of what he truly was.

And besides, after passing two major hurdles already, how could he waste all that effort by going back?

So the twig who had made up his mind said, “Yes.”

Thyrran turned without another word.

The luminescent vines along the wall slowly pulled away from the stone, revealing the bricks beneath. Then, right in front of Riley, the stone bricks began to shift and slide apart, slowly showing him a glimpse of what lay behind them.

Riley stared, stunned, because behind the moving wall was an entirely different chamber.

From where he stood, he could see a long, straight, suspended path stretching forward into the darkness, leading toward a platform at the center of the chamber.

And that platform was a lot to take in.

Riley trembled.

But before he could say anything, a whisper brushed through his mind.

Follow me.

And probably for the first and hopefully the last time, the guardian guided the subject into the next chamber.

__

Riley’s mind raced. Unlike the earlier tests, this one felt different because not only was the proctor actively leading him there, but he could also see everything clearly as he walked.

The platform ahead was practically glowing, illuminated in a soft yet eerie light like some central beacon. It floated in what felt like endless darkness, a silent void stretching far beyond anything Riley could comprehend. The only thing making any of this feel real was the suspended walkway that connected the platform to where he and Thyrran were walking, or, well, gliding.

And sure, that was something noteworthy, but honestly, it was nothing compared to the eerie feeling of not actually being able to see anything.

It was just that at this point, it would be impossible to ignore the glaring view that lay before them.

Because scattered everywhere were vials.

Yes. Vials.

Hundreds—no, maybe a thousand—of small glass vials, each corked and filled with what looked like a green, glittery slime. It sparkled like someone had tried to make toxic jelly look festive. If this had not been a test, Riley might have actually crouched down to admire them.

But that was impossible now, because from what he could see, the vials were arranged in a near-perfect grid that stretched across the entire platform floor.

Even with the way he swallowed repeatedly, the lump in his throat refused to go away.

And he was right to worry, because the moment they reached the platform, Riley immediately noticed what stood at its edge.

A giant hourglass.

Tall enough to reach his chest, carved with ornate spirals, filled with fine white sand that shimmered unnervingly.

Then, as if reading Riley’s exact and very horrifying thoughts, the guardian spoke.

Find the right vial before the timer runs out.

Riley’s soul left his body.

Ah. Shit.

Find the what now?!

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