Chapter 955: The Core of Civilization
Chapter 955: The Core of Civilization
Karyk found himself inexplicably pulled inside the wall, as if it possessed a life force of its own. In that moment, darkness enveloped his surroundings, leaving him disoriented, unable to see anything. Conversely, the Mother Whale, although experiencing a burning sensation, regained her composure and searched for Karyk, only to discover his sudden absence. He had inexplicably vanished without a trace.
As Karyk was pulled deeper into the wall, his surroundings underwent a profound transformation. Rendered powerless, he could offer no resistance as he was transported to an unfamiliar location.
The absence of any light made it impossible for Karyk to see his surroundings. The darkness created an impenetrable veil, leaving him utterly blind.
Deprived of sight, Karyk relied solely on his instincts and heightened senses to navigate this unfamiliar realm. These primal instincts assured him that he was no longer on the surface.
The atmosphere within this confining space had a humidity, suffused with a dampness that clung to the air. The earthy aroma of soil permeated the surroundings, evoking a sensation similar to being within a cave.
He was surprised to be alive. He thought he was going to be devoured by the wall, but instead, he was brought here for some reason. “The Wall isn’t controlled by those people. So it shouldn’t be them.”
He had heard that this wall was created by the Civilisation before they disappeared. Even the Archangels could not control this wall to this extent. At least that’s what he thought, but he couldn’t be certain. He did not know what had happened since the Civilization disappeared. “Is it a prison?” He pondered for a moment as he stepped forward to check if there was any exit. There were a lot of questions in his mind. It would have made sense for this to be a prison that trapped people who tried to pass through the wall. But Mother Whale had also touched this wall. Why wasn’t she brought here?
That made him think that this might not be a prison but something else entirely. He stepped forward in this darkness, soon hitting a wall. He placed his hand on the wall, and with the support, moved forward to check if the other end was closed as well. This time, he was able to walk without an obstruction. He did not feel any presence here. It was as if he was all alone here. But even after walking for an hour straight, he did not react anywhere significant. It was as if this cave was stretching for an eternity with no end at sight.
“The Voice that I heard when I touched the wall…”
In the darkness, he had a lot of time to think about what happened before. He could still recall that voice that the Mother Whale had not heard. “What help was that voice talking about?”
He had a lot of questions. If that wall was created by the Civilisation, and it was alive, then was that the voice of this wall?
Was this wall asking him for help? It should have known that he was weaker than the Mother Whale. So why was he asked for help, instead of Mother Whale?
“Are you still here? Can you hear me?” he called out, wondering if he could talk to the thing that sent him here. “Is there really no end to this?”
Another day passed and Karyk had only been walking all this time, without rest.
He resisted sleep, even though he would have liked nothing more than being able to sleep. He resisted anger, even though his stomach was growling. “…is…back…”
Karyk did not know if he had started hallucinating because of hunger and lack of sleep. But he was occasionally hearing strange voices. The voices were different from what he heard outside the wall. But whenever he asked a question out loud, he did not get any response. It was as if only he could hear them and they could not hear him. It was the fourth day and Karyk was starting to have second thoughts. What was the point of walking when there was no end to this place? Yet, deep down, Karyk knew he couldn’t give up. The farther he went, the more these voices increased. All these voices were saying the same thing. “Prince… back…”
Karyk knew that the Archangels called him the forgotten prince. And now these voices were doing the same. Sometimes, he was really certain that it was because his mind was making these things up. But he still wanted to believe that there was more to it. “Either I die in this place, or I reach the end…”
With each step, he pushed forward, driven by a glimmer of hope that there was indeed an end to this endless expanse.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months as Karyk continued his lonely journey. The voices grew louder and more persistent, echoing in his mind like a haunting melody. Karyk had completely stopped thinking about it. After a week, he had even forgotten why he was walking this arduous path. He thought he was going to die from hunger and lack of sleep, but strangely enough, he was still alive. Even when his hunger had been overwhelming him for so long, he was still alive. He did not know if this was because of his Immortality. That should have been impossible as his healing and immortality should have been sealed here as well. Still, for some reason, this was the reality that he wasn’t dead. He was like a man, aimlessly walking while forgetting that he even had a destination. All he knew was that he had to reach the end. As he pressed on, Karyk’s senses became attuned to the subtle changes in his surroundings. The dampness in the air gave way to a gentle breeze, carrying with it the scent of fresh grass and blooming flowers.
It was in stark contrast to the scent before. The oppressive darkness gradually receded, replaced by a soft glow that emanated from an unknown source.
And then, with a surge of exhilaration, Karyk caught sight of a faint glimmer of light ahead. It flickered like a distant star, beckoning him onward. Renewed with energy, he quickened his pace, following the light that promised an escape from the depths of the cave.
As he drew closer, the light grew brighter, illuminating a vast chamber that stretched out before him. The walls were covered with intricate carvings, similar to what he had seen on the main wall, albeit more intricate and detailed. And at the heart of the chamber stood a figure cloaked in ethereal radiance.
It was a being unlike any Karyk had ever seen. Its presence exuded an aura that made even Karyk feel intimidated. “You have come far, young prince,” the figure spoke, its voice resonating with a melodic harmony. “I did not expect you to return safely. But you are too late… Everything has been lost.*
“Who are you?” Karyk asked. Even though his vision was blurry from weakness, he could feel that the man was strange. Was he an enemy? Even that was not clear. “You seem tired. Don’t you want to rest?” The man waved his hand, conjuring a bed and a few fruits for Karyk to eat. “I asked you a question!” Karyk insisted.
The man slowly turned around, revealing his face to Karyk. “You are-“
Seeing the face of the person, Karyk was truly shocked. “How are you here?!”
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