490 Sounds
The strange sounds Lumian heard echoed from a far-off realm, an elusive destination beyond his grasp.
His heart tightened as he quickly removed the Eye of Truth, but the sounds remained.
Bam! Bam! Bam! The sounds reverberated as if two massive rocks collided. Lumian witnessed sparks flying, and dried leaves and branches catching fire. In the midst of the flames lay scattered bones. The cave, shrouded in darkness with an unknown depth, echoed with distant howls resembling wolves.
Thud! Thud! Thud! A leather drum’s beats and ancient musical instruments resonated, creating a solemn, holy, and magnificent atmosphere for Lumian. The scene in his mind shifted to a vast wilderness with a towering altar. A figure, his face veiled with beaded coverings, a splendid headdress, and a flowing black robe, ascended to the highest point. Around him, people with demon-painted faces danced frenziedly to the drumbeat. Suddenly, the sky darkened, and a face appeared from the ominous clouds. The ritualist, with beads sliding aside, revealed a terrified expression.
A distant, haunting voice pierced the clouds, resonating through the desolate land. Lumian felt a profound shake in his mind and body. Before him stretched vast highlands, with withered trees, sparse grass, and yellow soil and rocks exposed. Gullies crisscrossed like wrinkles on an old man’s face, separating silent towns. A massive river surged, majestic yet tainted with turbid yellow.
Ding. Dang. Ding. Dang. The sound, like pearls on a porcelain plate, was crisp and gentle, emanating from a peculiar wooden pavilion. The surrounding buildings burned fiercely, and shouts echoed from the river. Amidst the pleasant melody, the pavilion collapsed in flames, yet the performer continued unabated.
In the midst of the gentle singing, a woman in a peculiar dress stood on the platform, captivatingly expressing herself. Below her, people sat at various tables, savoring drinks under dim lights. Gunshots, like firecrackers, echoed outside what seemed to be a bar’s dance floor, as citizens collapsed on the street. Fierce soldiers rushed in, stabbing the struggling ones with bayonets attached to their guns. Distant buildings burned, and flames soared into the sky.
These voices and images surged into Lumian’s mind like a torrent, causing his eyes to redden. His head felt unusually swollen, as if it were on the brink of exploding, and his thoughts became a chaotic jumble.
Franca and Jenna, engrossed in their battle against Mirror Gardner Martin, remained oblivious to Lumian’s unsettling state.
Franca took the lead, pressing the black flames against the mirror stained with the target’s blood. She successfully saw the enemy—weakened by the eruption of desire. He succumbed to the engulfing black flames, inflicting damage to his Spirit Body.
Crack!
Mirror Gardner shattered, and his figure materialized nearby, his dazed eyes now alert.
Seizing the opportunity, Jenna, moving with remarkable speed, adjusted her makeup mirror stained with Mirror Gardner’s blood. Pressing the black flames in her hand against it, s
Mirror Gardner was once again ignited by the Demoness’s black flames and subjected to another fatal curse.
He shattered anew, reappearing beside the black pillar.
His right hand reached into his pocket, as if he wanted to take out a mirror and use nails, hair, blood, and other media to sever the connection between the source of the curse and himself.
However, Franca, who was also moving at high speed, leaned back and raised the mirror in her hand. It made contact with her other hand, holding the Flog boxing glove ablaze with black flames.
The flames erupted within the mirror, thwarting Mirror Gardner’s attempt at curse-evading mirror magic.
The duo, Franca and Jenna, continued their intricate dance—one advancing, one retreating, one cursing, and the other awaiting their turn. It was a mesmerizing duet, a choreography of combat.
After enduring six curses, Mirror Gardner froze in front of a grayish-white stone pillar, not shattering like before.
In the silence of the black flames, he rapidly weakened, teetering on the brink of unconsciousness.
Seeing this, Franca discarded the Flog boxing gloves, opting for her Cannon Gun. She drew the weapon, pulled back the hammer, and took aim at the target.
Bang!
The iron-black bullet tore through Mirror Gardner’s skull, shattering it into fragments.
His nearly headless body swayed briefly before collapsing to the ground.
As the corpse faded away, it left behind a peculiar mirror fragment, its surface nearly lightless as if coated with black paint.
Meanwhile, Anthony Reid, ever proficient at observation, detected Lumian’s abnormal state. Racing towards him, the Psychiatrist attempted to Placate him. However, Lumian remained unresponsive, his face contorting further, blood vessels on his forehead bulging ominously.
“There’s a situation here!” Anthony, noting Mirror Gardner’s demise from the corner of his eye, swiftly informed Franca and Jenna. He hoped that the two Demonesses could find a way to address Lumian’s unsettling condition.
However, an instant later, the pitch-black mirror fragment emitted a faint light.
The surroundings plunged into instant darkness, transmuting into a bizarre transparency, as if the entire world had transformed into a mirrored container.
Within the dark and shadowy confines of this mirror container, an unseen force seethed with rage, materializing the air and exerting pressure from every direction.
Though Franca, Jenna, and Anthony witnessed no visible or audible phenomena, an overwhelming fear gripped them. Their bodies felt as if plunged into an icy cavern, freezing instantaneously.
A faint sigh, distinctly feminine, resonated suddenly.
Nearby, the black pillar radiated a dim light. The tiny snake-like black hairs concealed in the void retracted, coalescing into a massive black-haired sphere, forming a protective barrier around the square.
Franca and the others experienced an immediate sense of tranquility. Fear released its grip on their bodies and minds, allowing them to move freely.
Meanwhile, Lumian’s consciousness wrestled with an onslaught of voices and scenes, his rationality gradually eroding.
Suddenly, he heard a voice.
It was a male sigh.
Then, he saw a face and a figure—a man seated cross-legged in a serene room, adorned with a headdress and a blue robe.
Though handsome, the man’s eyes betrayed profound sorrow and pain, lending him a withered appearance.
His gaze fixed on Lumian, comprehending the scenes unfolding, and he picked up a brown rod adorned with numerous white silk strands at one end, resting beside him.
As the sigh persisted, the myriad sounds and images Lumian perceived vanished, replaced by overlapping shrill cries akin to curses.
While Lumian couldn’t comprehend the language, the phrase echoed in his mind, infused with the purest knowledge, enabling him to grasp its meaning.
The voices converged into a torrent, laden with resentment and hatred.
“Celestial Master!”
…
At the base of the Deep Valley Quarry, the once busy hall now stood in partial ruins. The tumultuous activity had taken its toll, leaving many members of the Machinery Hivemind injured. Conscious of the need to avoid hindering their comrades’ battles, these individuals strategically retreated.
Claude, the mechanical giant, abruptly halted his movements, his colossal ears resonating with overlapping roars.
Amidst the roars, a sigh descended from above, casting an eerie atmosphere upon the indistinct wilderness.
In that wild expanse, numerous ethereal figures lingered, occasionally gazing at the sky and emitting haunting screams.
Observing this mysterious transformation, Archbishop Horamick refrained from seizing the opportunity to attack Claude directly. Instead, he swiftly withdrew from the crumbling hall, leading the remaining members of the Machinery Hivemind away from the illusory wilderness.
The cybernetic eyes of the mechanical giant, with one resembling a ruby and the other an emerald, suddenly dimmed.
It appeared as if intelligence had deserted him. Slowly turning around, Claude stepped into the surreal “wilderness,” seemingly intent on joining the lingering figures.
Midway through, the mechanical giant turned to regard Archbishop Horamick and his companions, gears spinning loudly.
An indescribable smile graced the face comprising multiple metallic components.
In the next instant, the mechanical giant retracted his gaze, resuming his forward journey.
His figure gradually took on an illusionary quality, merging with the mysterious wilderness until both vanished into the unknown.
…
In the depths of the Fourth Epoch Trier, adjacent to the wall-like grayish-white fog, Magician and Justice materialized, their intense gazes fixed upon Lady Moon. She had lost her veil, revealing a vacant expression.
The bestowed of the Great Mother, the lady who had nurtured a deity, stood in front of the gray fog, her shadow tainted by char.
Magician and Justice were surprised to see this.
Almost simultaneously, the wall-like grayish-white fog expanded, pulsating like a beating heart.
Almost simultaneously, an imposing aura, one that seemed to look down upon all existence, permeated the surroundings. It quelled the earlier sigh that had echoed through the air.
The grayish-white fog in the vicinity heightened its intensity, spreading in all directions once more, thickening the gray fog throughout the entirety of Fourth Epoch Trier.
“Him?”
“So it’s Him?”
Justice and Magician exchanged silent whispers. Unaffected by the adverse consequences targeting others, they persisted in their actions.
The dazed Lady Moon immediately found herself shrouded in resplendent starlight.
…
In the wilderness, Snarner Einhorn and Diest, the President of the Iron and Blood Cross Order, continued their struggle to restrain Vermonda Sauron—a Calamity Giant, an Angel who had lost control. Their efforts, however, were met with fierce counterattacks, forcing Them into a gradual retreat, unable to capitalize on the situation.
Amidst the chaos, the gray fog shrouding the ruins of Fourth Epoch Trier stirred violently, as if the very city had awakened.
The turbulent fog swiftly coalesced into a spear-like form, a weapon capable of shattering mountain peaks. It hurtled towards the captive Vermonda Sauron.
In an instant, the spear, crafted from the gray fog, erupted into violent flames, taking on a violet hue. It exuded an aura of supremacy, as if it aimed to conquer all in its path.
Witnessing this surreal phenomenon, whether it was Snarner Einhorn, Diest, Vermonda Sauron, or their allies, it was as though they beheld a city enshrouded in fog. A sense of awe overwhelmed their bodies and minds, dissuading any inclination to resist.
The majestic purple flaming spear traversed a significant distance, impaling Vermonda Sauron—the Calamity Giant yet to regain mobility. His chest rent open, the colossal being was pinned to the wilderness.
As the purple flames dissipated, a figure stood up from a genuflecting position.
Clad in blood-stained black armor, adorned with long red hair, the youth exuded a handsome yet haunting presence. Rotting wounds marred both sides of his face, and a vivid red mark resembling a banner flag adorned his forehead.