Hallowed Ground

Price

We made our way through the everlasting crying of the city and approached the tall spire where Lurien hid. The blue atmosphere brought a more melancholic and tired expression to the city. The buildings seemed to be more worn from the water, as cracks had started to appear on the sides of the walls.

'Our kingdom is truly on its last leg.' I thought to myself as we entered into the spire. 'Every sacrifice that I make needs to be for the kingdom. That is final.'

Hornet and I made our way up various stairs and elevators as we climbed to the top of the spire. As she was getting tired, I picked her up and sat her on top of my shoulders so my hands were free. I felt Hornet giggle as she wrapped her tiny hands around my horns for support. I smiled to myself as we continued on, making our way up the levels and past the watcher guards who were sound asleep.

Eventually, we came to a door at the very top, I was about to knock, but I started to hear frantic footsteps and mumbling. I rolled my head in a matter similar to rolling my eyes and gave a firm knock.

A shriek sounded on the other side.

"W-who is it!" The panicked voice yelled.

"Vessel." I said, hoping he would pick up on the joke.

"Vessel? Vessel, who?" The voice asked as footsteps approached. A small click sounded as the door cracked open, revealing a confused Lurien.

"Vessel Soulseeker." I said as I was now taller than him.

I was amused at the expression of Lurien's mask as his eye continued to widen as he looked up at me.

"Soulseeker!" Lurien exclaimed. "You've grown so much! Please! Come inside! You must be freezing!" Lurien shuffled to the side to allow us to enter.

"I am actually quite alright. However, Hornet is a little cold. Thank you, Lurien." I said as I walked into the room.

I carefully removed Hornet from my shoulders and set her on the sofa. Hornet swung her legs excitedly as she looked around the room.

"How have things been for you, Lurien?" I asked as I turned to him.

"They have been rather fine. Unfortunately, I can not say the same for the kingdom. It is wearing more and more each passing day." Lurien said as he collapsed onto the opposite sofa.

"I have seen that. It is apparent in the infrastructure of the city. Whatever happened to the architects?" I questioned as I sat beside Hornet. Hornet snuggling into my side in the process.

"They're all infected. There are no more left in the city. Every citizen and soldier remaining has tried to fix the damage, but we unfortunately do not have the skills necessary." Lurien solemnly stated as he looked down to his hands.

I hummed, deep in thought, as I looked to the window with the telescope.

"Whatever have you been watching so intensely?" I asked, my voice laced with a dark tone as my eyes never left the window.

Lurien perked upwards and began to fidget.

"Oh. Well. There is um... something I have been tasked to keep an eye on from the king." Lurien shakily answered, trying to beat around the bush.

"Which is?" I pressed as I looked back to him, my gaze digging into his soul.

He sighed as he stood, waving me to follow as he made his way to the telescope. I rose and followed behind him, Hornet copying my movements while hugging my arm.

"Do you see the building slightly below us?" Lurien asked as he pointed to a building that was not as tall as the spire but easily visible.

I nodded, my eyes squinting to try to see what he was getting at.

"There has been unauthorized experiments on fellow citizens within that building all in the name of soul studies. They have been killing bugs for soul, injecting excess soul into them, and making these amalgamations of melted corpses. I have been trying to gather enough evidence so I can have guards go in and shut them down." Lurien explained.

"And these citizens do it willingly?" I asked as I looked to him.

Lurien shrugged. "I am not sure. But the Pale King has rulled it unlawful and no longer wants the experiments held."

I nodded my head as I looked back down to the building.

'That is where I need to go first. I needed to use these bugs to get stronger. It may be a rash decision, but I need somewhere to start.' I thought to myself as I glanced down at Hornet.

I gently knelt down to her and hugged her. I made my decision. I'm going down there. Hornet confusingly returned my hug. Lurien seemed to start panicking as he was putting the pieces together.

"You're not going over there, are you!" Lurien squeaked as he started shaking.

Hornet looked at me, her eyes trying to keep tears from falling. "Big sis. It's too dangerous! What if you get hurt? What if I never see you again!" Her voice started to break as tears fell down her mask.

I nuzzled the top of her head as I made a soft trilling sound, it being slightly distorted due to the interference of the void inside me. "I will be ok, Hornet. I will return to you. There is no power in this world that will tear me completely away."

Hornet began to wail as she clung onto me tighter. I continued to nuzzle the top of her head to comfort her. She eventually calmed down, her sniffling filling the room. I reached up and tore a piece of my mask around my eye. A sickening crack filled the room as pain radiated through my body. I handed it to her.

"Here, now I will always be with you. There is always a piece of me everywhere you go." I said as I rubbed her head.

Hornet held the mask shard close to her as she looked up at my mask. The black void slowly dripped down from the missing chunk in my eye in an attempt to heal.

I stood and snapped my head to Lurien, receiving a jump from him in response.

"Lurien, you will watch over Hornet while I am away. Is that clear?" I asked, my voice turning dark as I stared into his eye.

Lurien frantically nodded as he slowly grabbed Hornet, his hands resting on her shoulders. I turned and began to walk out of the room, trying to keep the void from dripping onto the ground. Before I walked through the door, I turned to Lurien one last time, a smirk in my eyes.

"Also. Hornet would like some waffles while I am gone." I said as Hornet began to bounce excitedly from the mention of waffles.

After I made my request, I dashed through the spire. The rain becoming a looming ambiance of crying angels as I was about to give myself to some twisted individual.

I sprinted down the stairs and continued across the long catwalk to the nearby building. Cracks in the floor seemed to follow me as they crawled along the worn grey stone, my speed quickened.

Once I arrived inside the other building, I walked into an archway. Its crown decorated with a decrepit face.

'Soul Sanctum..' I thought to myself. 'No wonder this place gave Lurien the creeps.' I sighed to myself as I traveled deeper into the belly of the beast. 'I must keep marching on...' My mind said as I continued to push on, even though my gut was telling me to turn away.

'Even if it cost me my life...'

'No... cost... too.. great.... .. . .'

...
..
.

'right..?'