Hunter of the Evernight
Chapter 303: Sculptures

Chapter 303: Sculptures

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Alejandro’s eyes darted about as he sat atop a pile of smoldering corpses, the acrid smell of burnt flesh permeating his surroundings.

His expression calm, he seemed to be waiting for something as he utilized his superior hearing to scope the area.

Soon, his eyes settled as they landed upon the figure of a familiar face.

"You are here," Alejandro muttered tiredly.

"Well, well, if it isn’t the great ruler of Aragon. Fancy seeing you here." Victoria replied with a teasing smile on her lips.

Alejandro chuckled. "Glad to see you too, Lady Victoria."

"I see these bugs took more out of you than I expected," Victoria remarked, her gaze scrutinizing the area littered with hairy appendages which seemed to evoke a visceral disgust in her.

"That is hardly the case. I am still experiencing backlash from my usage of my Fenrir transformation."

"Ah, yes. Fenrir, the 7th Advancement of the Beast Wheel. It was an honor seeing it in action for the first time."

"Though I can sense a bit of dishonesty in your words, I am too tired to point it out and so, I am glad you enjoyed the spectacle."

"If only you could act similarly with my master and not disrespect him because of a little dishonesty, I’d be more than happy to entertain you further."

Alejandro sighed. "I try my best but you must understand the dislike my people have toward humans and even more toward dishonest humans."

"Your first mistake is assuming my master is a mere human." Victoria retorted.

"Is he not?"

Victoria snorted. "Only a fool would think so. My master is more than what mere mortals can comprehend, he is the savior destined to lead the Creatures of the Night to the promised land, he is the Dark Lord."

She spoke like an ardent believer in the faith, her eyes filled with reverence bordering on fanaticism.

Alejandro regarded her for a moment, taking the time to digest her words before finally nodding. "Now I understand. If he is truly that great being prophesied to walk the land someday, then it is only right that he be treated in such a manner."

"Oh?... Does this mean you wish to join his cause?... If so, I might be able to put in a word or two for your sake."

"I live only to serve my people. A BeastMan shall have no other master." Alejandro curtly replied earning yet another snort from Victoria.

"And here I thought you had seen the truth," Victoria said before adding. "Regardless, we should leave this place, I can hardly stand the pungent smell any longer."

Nodding in agreement, Alejandro remarked. "I hate to admit it but my continued exposure to the corruption here leaves me with a rather annoying headache."

"Come along now, Opal found a path not too far from here."

"Alright."

With a consensus reached, the duo moved together, traversing the ruined landscape while dealing with critters that tried to obstruct them only to happen upon a hallway that seemed to be remnants of a grand structure.

They walked through with floating lanterns glowing an eerie purple accompanying them, illuminating alabaster sculptures that were placed at different corners of the hall with a few still intact.

"You know, Lady Victoria..."

"Hmm?"

"The longer I stay in this underground city, the more I can’t help but feel slightly complicated within."

"... And why is that?"

"There is a legend amongst my people..."

Pausing for a moment, Alejandro continued. "That the great Viracocha only became a great being after coming into contact with a deity from forgotten times. The few scholars that exist amongst my people mention that the deity he came in contact with was Mother Nature, which is the reason why Mother Nature is regarded as a patron deity amongst a small faction of my people."

"So..."

"Not only the city design, but even the divine being is the same... forgive me since I guess you won’t understand but it’s difficult to accept that my people only came to be not because of Viracocha’s greatness, but because we managed to gain the legacy of this dead civilization."

"You are right," Victoria replied before promptly adding. "I don’t understand."

Chuckling lightly, Alejandro’s gaze fell upon a particular sculpture.

Victoria followed his gaze and she too was left stunned for a moment.

The statue was like none other in the hallway, standing at over 10 feet and depicting a beautiful smiling woman with lustrous hair that seemed to serve as a dwelling place for forest animals.

But it was neither the incredible craftsmanship nor the unique presence the sculpture gave off that caught both their attention, instead...

"Lady Victoria..." Alejandro calmly called out.

"Yes, Rey Alejandro?"

"Did that sculpture’s eyes just move?"

"... What do you think?"

"..."

"..."

Both slowly began to back away but hardly had they taken a few steps when Alejandro suddenly pushed Victoria aside while jumping away as well.

Boom

An axe made of alabaster and six times the size of a human male slammed into the area they’d just been in, resulting in a crater and a minor dust cloud.

At the same time, the Goddess’s sculpture smile shifted, taking on a sinister tone as the purple-lit lanterns suddenly went out.

Immediately, a ball of lava appeared above, illuminating the hall just enough for the duo to watch as the statues in the hallway came alive.

"Lady Victoria!" Alejandro called out to which he received the response.

"Watch out!"

Alejandro turned just in time to watch as one of the sculptures with the likeness of an avian swooped down to grab him.

Thanks to Victoria’s warning, he was able to evade though not without getting nicked at the side.

Meanwhile, Victoria prepared to summon Spirits to their aid when she immediately disappeared in a flash of black and white, just in time as well, as a giant spear pierced through her previous position.

As the duo moved to stand back to back, they watched as the sculptures in the hall encircled them, brandishing weapons while the Goddess’s statue watched.

"Do you believe that we are being led by the nose?" Alejandro inquired with Victoria nodding.

"Whatever caused us to separate is aiming for something and we have to figure out what it is."