Chapter 51: Forgotten City
Aegon rushed to Suisho after she fell to the ground; his hand not knowing where he would place them because her body was so majestic.
"Hey, hey... what is wrong?" He asked.
"Cough, cough... master..."
Suisho couldn’t speak much, as even though she tried, she could only continue to cough and more blood would pour out.
"Tell me, what is wrong with you, how can I stop this?"
Suisho looked at Aegon as he said these words, at this point he was on his knees, very close to her but didn’t touch her.
Her eyes were wide open after hearing these words, they were filled with water with an expression of satisfaction.
It was like someone who knew they were dying and had no regrets before they died, they were completely content with how they wanted to go.
However, even though that was how Suisho’s expression was, she didn’t want to go, she didn’t want to die, and so she spoke to him.
"Master Aegon, it is the castle, the castle of the ghouls, the king who dwells there is the one causing our forest to fall, please save us."
While saying this, she had taken her right hand on his lap, her expression saying she didn’t want to die, she wanted to live.
At the same time, he had to ask:
"Which castle? What ghoul? Where can I find this place you speak of?"
He was in a hurry, perhaps a panic. Not that he was scared, no, he wasn’t. But this was the only person he had encountered since entering here, that wasn’t a monster.
She had no reason to have anything ill against him, but even spoke of a prophecy that featured him in it.
’It is only right that I do this, I must.’
His eyes had locked into hers after he asked the question, but she hadn’t answered yet.
Suisho tried to speak but the light that was coming from her body, although small in size, dimmed again.
"North... of here... cough, you will find the castle of the undefeated there... cough."
"Undefeated?!" Aegon asked, puzzled. "I thought you said the ghouls?"
He didn’t even understand what was going on anymore. But she looked at him, her gaze were enough words already spoken.
That was all she could say, and the rest was left to him.
At this point, Suisho had placed her life in his hands.
Aegon was about to touch, to hold her before he could depart but she raised both of her hands, joined them together then separated them apart.
Within her hands a little bright light shone as a certain object appeared from within the light, then holding it with one hand, she used her other hand to take hold of Aegon’s right hand.
"Here..." she said, and Aegon asked, puzzled.
"What is it?"
She placed it in his hands, it was still glowing with light. Then, afterwards the light dimmed and an object appeared on his hands.
"It will guide you, and protect you. It is the last spirit of the forest, it will follow you everywhere and keep... cough... you safe."
After Suisho had said this and handed it over to him, her hands dropped to the ground, lifeless, her bright eyes already dim and lifeless.
They closed and all the lights in her body completely faded, leaving a pale body and the green dress she was wearing.
"Is... she dead?"
Aegon asked, startled.
The light within her had just turned off, faded, and her body felt lifeless; so it was the logical question to ask.
After he had asked, he knew that was indeed the case. He didn’t know her for long but he felt that he had a connection with her.
Aegon placed his hands on her skin; to her shoulder, then to her face. It was cold, a feeling that she was indeed dead.
Suddenly, in that very moment, a massive wind blew and the entire forest shook.
Massive trees moved back and forth in this powerful wind, chunks of wood, and leaves on the ground flew all around.
They reached Aegon and even those that were around him, hit him. He held the object that was given to him tightly in his hand, and protected himself from the wind.
Just then, a massive swirl of leaves came flying down towards him. They stopped at his front and he noticed them.
They were multiple leaves, small, but mighty in number. They stopped as though they were looking at him, and he too, at them.
Then, they went to Suisho and surrounded her body. In that moment after they had done so, Suisho’s body began to rise up, as the leaves were lifting her up.
Aegon saw this and was amazed by the true form of nature that was occurring in front of him, in his heart he said
’Rest well now, Suisho. Leave everything to me.’
Aegon had never witnessed a person that he somewhat cared about die in front of him. Even in his past life, although his parents were already gone, he never met them when they died.
And now in this world, it was the same; at least not until Suisho. Yes, he had killed people here, but that wasn’t the same thing.
He didn’t have any attachments to those people whatsoever, they were enemies that needed to be exterminated.
Aegon looked as they carried her body up, and wondered if that was what he would see when it came with his own relation.
No tears poured from his eyes, but only a pale expression, as a massive feeling of adrenaline coursed through his body.
An extra boost of motivation to accomplish his goal had just entered his body, then, his gaze turned ice cold.
Just then, while his gaze was still following the leaves which were carrying Suisho’s body; after reaching a very high height they vanished alongside her body.
At the same time, in front of him, north of the forest, in a part that was like a wall of leaves; it opened and formed a round door-like structure.
Aegon brought his gaze down after Suisho’s body had vanished, and now gazed at the door in front of him.
It was his way out and the forest had made sure to give it to him. He felt that it might be Suisho’s spirit doing this, then again, she was now part of the forest.
"Suisho..."
Aegon looked up once again; to the part where she departed, for a moment. Then, again, he brought his gaze down and walked towards the door, entering it.
A bright light showed as he walked into the door and just by one more step he came out of what looked to him; a massive gate.
The gates were opened and he was standing in front of them.
Beside the gates were two grotesque creatures guard statues. On the left side was a bone winged panther, and on the right was an iron hone buffalo.
These statues stood like guards beside this black gate with a horrifying appearance like they were brutal monsters before turning into a statue.
They had a watchful gaze as though they were looking at who was at the gate.
Aegon saw them but did not falter. His gaze also, was piercing that if they were alive, they would be fearful of him just by his own gaze.
In that moment, he also noticed that it wasn’t only these two statues that were outside here, but more.
In fact, for every one meter there was a new statue with a different creature, on both sides.
He looked at these statues and saw how far wide they stretched on the wall of the gate. There was no ending, and things were only just getting started.
Aegon walked past the gate, into the city.
The city looks like it used to be a bustling place, but now it’s just quiet and empty.
The streets are lined with old stone buildings and shops that sit there like ghosts, with no one coming in or out.
There were rows of houses and storefronts packed tightly together, but the windows were dark, some broken, and the chimneys weren’t smoking.
It felt like everyone just woke up and left one day, leaving the whole city to get dusty and overgrown with trees and vines; becoming a forgotten city.
Way in the back, sitting on the highest point, there’s a massive black castle that can be seen pretty much anywhere.
Even if one was standing a mile away at the front gate, those huge towers and sharp spires would still be sticking up into the clouds.
"The castle..." Aegon muttered.
It looked incredibly strong with its giant walls and gold-tipped roofs, but just like the rest of the city below it, it feels totally deserted and still.
It’s like a giant crown sitting on top of a city that has fallen fast asleep.
Just then, a sound was heard like that of a voice and Aegon swiftly rushed in-between two buildings, so as not to be seen.
Then he started hearing muttering of some kind, a spoken language he couldn’t understand.
He was about to look outside but the voice suddenly came closer and he instantly pressed back his body on the building walls.
At that moment, he saw the object that was given to him by Suisho. It was a necklace, with a circle green pendant and within this pendant there was drawing.
The drawing looked like a forest, the entire forest of Aranyani.
Aegon wore this necklace over his hand, and placed it inside his shirt, when suddenly he could see a shadow, casted by the blood moon, on the ground.
His eyes were fixed on that shadow and he noticed it wasn’t just one or two, but multiple of them.
He was hiding in-between two buildings so it was impossible for him to be spotted since the moonlight couldn’t reach him.
As he was there, two figures passing were and dragging what looked like a cage, outside on the road; when all of a sudden one of them stopped.
Then, it began sniffing with its noise as if it was smelling something strange and unusual. As it did this, it moved closer to the buildings where Aegon was.
And seeing this, Aegon’s heart sank.