The Forsaken Heir's Ascension
Chapter 66: Mind Space Invasion: The Cursed Eagle Statues and the Yellow Light

Chapter 66: Mind Space Invasion: The Cursed Eagle Statues and the Yellow Light

As Alex, Hati, and Lyra moved through the narrow corridor bathed in dim yellow light, a sudden pressure invaded Alex’s mind.

He dropped to his knees, clutching his head. A sharp pain tore through him, as if something was trying to rip his skull apart from the inside. He glanced toward Lyra, who had slumped against the wall, her face pale with exhaustion. Hati snarled at the empty air, pacing in restless circles.

"Ha—Hati..." Alex grit his teeth. "I’m... entering the Mind Space."

Before Hati could react, Alex sat down and closed his eyes, assuming a meditative posture.

Inside the Mind Space, Alex’s consciousness—still in wisp form—floated above a sea of memory and thought. Small, ethereal yellow eagles darted through the sky, casting thunder down onto the waters below.

RUMBLE.

A bolt of lightning struck the sea. Waves thrashed. The once-clear water grew murky, storming violently. Alex realized—they were trying to corrupt his Mind Space.

But he was helpless. He hadn’t yet learned how to defend it.

Then, everything froze.

The waves.

The eagles.

Even Alex’s wisp-form.

From behind him, a pair of massive purple eyes opened—eyes so ancient and powerful they seemed to devour the very space around them.

The eagles shuddered. One by one, they disintegrated into motes of golden dust, swallowed by the Mind Space itself.

The eyes closed.

Time resumed.

The storm vanished. The waters stilled.

Then, across the sky, glowing words appeared:

"Learn the Soul-Fighting Arts."

Alex opened his eyes. Hati was beside him, standing protectively, and had even dragged Lyra closer to shield her. Around them, the oppressive yellow glow had faded. Within that small cleared circle, they were safe.

Alex gently shook Lyra awake. "We need to move."

They resumed walking. The yellow light didn’t return—keeping its distance as if wary.

Eventually, they reached a fork in the path and chose the center corridor.

From the far away they saw shadows of people huddled behind some kind of bars.

They stepped into a square chamber lined with rusted bars. Behind each one sat people—no, not people. Skeletons. Their faces twisted in eternal agony.

As they walked further, they passed horrors:

—Skeletons hanging from the ceiling like puppets.

—One pinned by dozens of iron rods through every bone.

In the center of the chamber stood a raised platform made of interlocked human bones. Atop it sat an eagle statue, its eyes made of glowing crimson gems, a human femur clenched in its beak like a trophy. The eagle’s expression seemed to enjoy the suffering around it.

Alex recoiled. Rage twisted in his gut.

He drew his emerald-green spear, its tip glowing faintly.

He struck—piercing one of the statue’s crimson eyes.

BOOM!

The eagle’s head shattered.

Alex staggered back, breath heavy, spear still raised.

Lyra stared at him, stunned. "Why... why did you do that?"

Alex’s voice was sharp, fierce. "I don’t like monsters who play with humans."

Lyra nodded silently, her gaze lingering on the sea of bones. After what they had seen... she understood.

Rumble

Ground beneath them shook!

All fell on the ground due to shaking ground.

Then it stopped.

Nothing changed.

Alex stood up saw around, the dim yellow light have decreased a little.

At the place where Meika and the others stood, the ground trembled violently, knocking them off their feet.

Then, it stopped.

Meika stood up, dusted herself off, and looked around. Nothing seemed to have changed—except one thing.

Staring at the statue, she frowned. "Were its eyes glowing this much before?"

She turned to the others. "Should we move on or wait here?"

Rina replied, "Let’s wait. Maybe the others will come. There are too many paths opening up."

They were all mentally exhausted—more so than physically.

Meika suggested gently, "Let’s eat and drink something first... and try not to fall asleep."

None of them noticed, but the yellow light around them had dimmed slightly.

Elsewhere...

Alex had gathered all the skeletons, even those that hung from above, arranging them respectfully in an open space.

He bowed his head and whispered, "I’m sorry I couldn’t help you in your suffering. I’m sorry I can’t bury or burn you. I hope you find peace in death."

Lyra watched, thinking: Nobles don’t even treat commoners like humans... and here he is, doing this pointless gesture, not even knowing who they were.

Alex turned and said, "Let’s go."

They retraced their path back to the junction with three corridors. Alex asked, "Which way now?"

Hati sniffed the air and barked, tail pointing toward the right.

They followed.

The path was longer and more winding than the central one. Eventually, they came across two hunters slumped against the wall, eyes wide open in terror.

Alex knelt, checked them, and said grimly, "They’re dead."

He gently closed their eyes and stood. "Let’s keep moving."

Lyra, unsettled, asked, "What happened to them?"

Alex’s tone turned serious. "This yellow light... it’s not just for show. It’s attacking our minds. I think that’s what killed them."

Lyra stumbled, her face pale with fear. "Then... we’re constantly being attacked?"

Alex looked around and pointed out, "See? The light avoids us. It’s afraid."

Lyra noticed it now—an invisible bubble of safety around them, free of the oppressive light. She exhaled in relief and moved closer to Alex and Hati.

They continued until they reached a circular chamber. In its center stood an eagle statue, perched atop writhing human figures frozen in agony.

Three people huddled together nearby—pale, bloodshot eyes, trembling.

Alex rushed forward. "Rina!"

Rina slowly turned. Her voice cracked like an old dry wind. "A-Alex... it’s been years since I saw you. You still look the same."

Alex froze, then hurried to her side. Meika sat in a trance, blood dripping from dagger wounds on her arms and legs. Kaelan stared blankly, tears of blood on his cheeks, his palms pierced with nails.

Alex’s eyes widened in horror. Then he looked at the statue—the eagle’s eyes glowed, its face twisted in glee. The expressions of the tortured figurines mirrored his companions.

The statue enjoyed their suffering.

Alex stood, spear in hand.

Suddenly, a crushing weight descended on him, like a mountain pressing down. His knees buckled, but he didn’t lower his spear. Step by step, he forced himself forward, each movement leaving deep imprints in the stone.

He summoned a dome of dark elemental energy around himself, shielding his body. The pressure intensified as he approached the statue, now tenfold stronger.

He dropped to one knee—stone cracking beneath him. Blood ran down his chin as he clenched his teeth.

Then, with a roar, he stood tall, his spear aimed.

Cling!

A simple thrust—something he’d practiced a thousand times.

The spear shot forward with all his strength—from the ground, through his body, to the very tip.

Boom!

The statue’s head shattered. The pressure vanished like it had never existed.

Behind him, the change was immediate.

Lyra and Hati saw their expressions relax.

Meika blinked and looked around. Then, pain hit her all at once. She groaned, clutching her arms. "We must’ve been affected... somehow."

Rina stirred, voice hoarse. "How long... how much time has passed?"

Lyra thought for a moment. "A day or two maybe. Why?"

Rina’s eyes filled with tears. "For me... it felt like years."

She paused, her voice trembling.

"No... a thousand years..."

Lyra covered her mouth in shock.

Then Kaelan’s voice, even drier and raspier, added, "No. It felt like more than a thousand..."

Alex knelt beside them. "Rest. I don’t think whatever cursed this place will affect you again."

RUMBLE

The ground shook again—wilder than before.

They crouched low, bracing themselves.

When it stopped, Alex muttered, "Now... how the hell do we get out of here?"

Far away from them, in a triangular chamber, stood a towering eagle statue—black from beak to talons. It glowed faintly under the dim yellow light that bathed the room, its eyes set with ominous yellow gems that pulsed like they were alive.

The statue loomed at the center like a dark monarch, surrounded by human skeletons arranged in eternal prostration—forever kneeling before their silent king.

But it wasn’t just the dead.

More than ten hunters now knelt around the statue, eyes closed, foreheads and knees pressed to the stone. Blood trickled down their faces and limbs—wounds carved by the strain of holding that pose for too long. And yet, none of them looked to be in pain.

They wore expressions of serenity.

Peaceful. Almost holy.

Then—suddenly—half of them rose.

Not like men awakening from meditation.

But like puppets tugged by invisible strings.

Without a word, they turned and marched out of the triangular chamber, heading silently toward the circular one.

After Rina, Meika, and Kaelan ate and drank a little, Alex told them to sleep first.

As they drifted off, he began treating their wounds using his wood element.

Just as he was nearly done, he heard the sound of footsteps echoing from one of the corridors.

He stood, gripped his spear tightly, and moved toward the corridor. Hati followed silently behind him.

Alex whispered to Lyra, "Stay there and protect them."

Lyra nodded, drawing her daggers. She stepped in front of the three resting companions, her eyes fixed ahead.

Five figures with mechanical motion they came in the circular chamber.

Alex’s face twisted in dread.

Their eyes were closed, but smiles stretched unnaturally from ear to ear, as if carved by a blade.

Blood trickled steadily from their foreheads.

They moved like lifeless puppets, heading straight toward them.

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