novelburst
Chapter 208 Stone men
Chapter 208 Stone men
"What do you think?" Anthony asked, looking at the strange circle filled with decomposing corpses. The smell was unbearable; he even had to cover his nose. He glanced at Persephone; she was perfectly fine, seemingly indifferent to the smell. He watched as her green eyes landed on the corpses on the ground.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I believe there's a rune beneath this place," Persephone said hesitantly. "It causes anyone who approaches to die within seconds." She hesitated for a few more minutes before continuing, "There's a protective aura around the circle that prevents mana from penetrating it," she concluded finally.
Anthony frowned and looked around. He realized the hallway had disappeared; there was no way out, they were trapped in that place. There were only walls covered in moss. Persephone's eyes shone brightly as her sickly green mana began to emerge from her hands. From the ground, a skeleton emerged, but it was small, barely half a meter tall.
Anthony noticed Persephone's complexion turning even paler, and he could see small beads of sweat on her forehead.
So, this is her limit, Anthony thought as he observed Persephone. Her hands moved, pointing towards the stairs. The skeletal dwarf began to move with difficulty towards the circle. It walked over the corpses effortlessly, while Persephone's complexion became even paler. Anthony positioned himself behind her and placed his hand on her back. Thin threads of darkness moved and penetrated her body.
Persephone's dull eyes once again sparkled with that characteristic green. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire
The skeletal dwarf had no trouble reaching the stairs and climbing them. After a few minutes, it passed through them and reached the second floor without any issues.
"What do you see?" Anthony asked. She closed her eyes and furrowed her brow. After a few seconds, she responded, "A ruined city." Anthony hesitated and asked again, "Do you see any mechanism around the surface next to the stairs?" She closed her eyes again and concentrated.
"I see... a small black stone. There's some magic in it," Persephone reported. "Break it," Anthony ordered. The skeletal dwarf crushed the stone with its foot, and suddenly, black smoke emerged from it. At the same time, the dwarf's body disappeared.
Persephone opened her eyes and declared, "The field protecting the stairs is now half as weak as before. It's still impassable, but mana can penetrate it now." Anthony nodded, and his dark mana quickly spread towards the second floor. The two of them appeared in that place, surrounded by ancient stone houses in ruins, scattered on the ground.
There were skeletal corpses, and the atmosphere was filled with herbs and moss. Anthony couldn't perceive any creatures around them.
Walking among the ruins, Anthony heard a slight noise and went on guard. Suddenly, a circular stone arrived at their feet. Behind a wall, a girl of about 5 years old appeared, but she wasn't a human girl. Her entire small body was made of stone. Anthony opened his eyes wide, surprised. The girl showed no murderous intent; her eyes were dark and fixed.
As Anthony continued to watch the girl, Persephone tugged at his shirt. Although he kept his gaze on the girl, he could see from the corner of his eye that there were more of them: a large group of stone children, women, and men were staring at them.
He saw the girl approach, not him, but the stone ball. She crouched down, picked up the ball in her arms, and then looked at Anthony and Persephone before running off towards the group of stone people. The girl reached a woman and hugged her. Anthony felt confused; he wasn't sure exactly what he should do. The group of stone people stepped aside to make way for a man who emerged from among them.
He had some stone decorations on his head and held a stick in his hands. He approached until he was about 5 meters away.
"Greetings, travelers," he said in a very hoarse voice. Anthony remained silent for a moment before asking, "What is this place?" He was prepared to defend himself in case they decided to attack. The stone man looked at him with surprise before responding calmly, "We are home."
"Home? What do you mean?" Persephone asked, narrowing her eyes. The stone man laughed. "Our home, for us, the stone people," he explained as more and more people emerged from the walls. They grouped around him, and Anthony could even distinguish some women with babies in their arms, as well as others who were pregnant and elderly. This was very strange.
Anthony could perceive that they had no trace of mana in their bodies or anything organic.
"Apologies for my poor manners. Allow me to invite you to my house. Surely you must be tired after your journey," said the man as he bowed slightly. Anthony and Persephone exchanged a look before Anthony responded politely, "Thank you for your hospitality." The man laughed heartily, and the three of them began to walk towards one of the houses in the center.
Anthony could hear some murmurs among the people as they watched them and whispered to each other.
After a few minutes, the three arrived at the house, which was in ruins. Inside, everything was made of stone: chairs, tables, and even the bed. "Please, have a seat," invited the stone elder. Anthony took a seat on a stone chair, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. After a few moments of silence, Anthony broke the ice: "I've never heard of the stone people before."
The elder returned from what seemed to be the kitchen, with a plate in his hands. He placed it on the table and took a seat. Anthony observed the contents of the plate: they were small stones of different colors. He sat, pondering for a few moments before continuing, "My father used to tell me a story when I was a child.
He told me that in the midst of a great battle between two ancient beings, one of stone and the other of flesh, on a huge battlefield where they destroyed entire worlds, there was a small stone. The battle lasted for years, perhaps millennia; my father wasn't sure. At some point, a drop of blood from the stone being fell onto that small stone amidst the chaos.
The stone trembled violently, and from it emerged the first stone man. He learned to walk, to eat, and wandered alone for years around the huge dead stone being. There came a point where that stone man felt lonely; he was missing something."