Chereads / SK Domination: Ignis Fatuus (Lost Archive) / Chapter 37 - Marching through the Void

Chapter 37 - Marching through the Void

At the center of the void, Claire is slowly surrounded by the mist of darkness. Standing up in the light, she decides to flee from the center and so the spotlight is given to her. The wound in her forearm is fresh, draining her strength to move forward while the pain and agony impinges her forearm from flowing blood as she gently caresses it with her own cloth.

Claire recklessly marches at the nothingness where only light glistens as a spotlight for her to be seen but other than that everything is only darkness. The void contains nothing but her existence, walking aimlessly out of any direction, knowing her will to find someone will save her from this madness.

The blood slowly spills out of her fresh wound from her left forearm and soon she will faint and eventually die. Knowing the risks from the start, she must survive but there is nothing she can do but replenish her strength back. She trips and falls as getting injuries in her chin and limbs. The blood continues to flow but she can hear someone calling her. A familiar voice is reaching out to her. She tried to reach that voice with her hand and soon her vision blurs and she would lose consciousness.

"Don't fall asleep, Claire." A person with unrecognisable appearance materializes, with Claire's fuzzy vision, she couldn't be able to see his facial features that only covered with glitching writing marks to unable to define his identity.

"Who are you?" Claire asks the entity.

"There's no time to explain, we have to run or the darkness will consume your only light."

"Alright." The unknown boy grabs Claire's right hand and flees the unending void together. For over hours or even days in real time have passed, Claire couldn't handle anymore. They've lost track of time at that place and now they slowly losing hope on finding a way out. The dot of light was still there but it seems not visible enough to arrive there.

"Claire, we're almost there." Then, the unknown boy carries her at his back and runs again.

"That voice..." Claire soon realizes that the dot have become larger and soon a bright light glistens on both her spotlight mixed in with the main goal to finish. She arrives in the light and the mist of darkness didn't managed to devour her whole.

She soon wakes up slowly her vision is still fuzzy from all that situation. A glowing yellow light shines at her left forearm. Claire sees a slime is recovering her forearm from bleeding, leaving a loss of forearm in the process but in the least she isn't going to die from blood loss. She notices a shard of blood spread throughout her position.

"You... You saved me." The slime brightens up literally and metaphorically as it rubs the slime's body to her torso.

Soon, she recognized the scenery, it seems she is in some sort of a dark cavern where stalactites were present and drip of water was constant as it drips down to her forehead. She stands up and sees two pathways, one from the north and one from the south.

A.      North pathway

B.      South pathway

She has to choose but she has the time, suddenly she glistens like a lamp all of a sudden. She is convenient enough to have a light source since this dark cavern will only trouble her in an unknown structure that it will bring to her if good or bad.

She chooses the North pathway, continuing to go for about 3 hours straight, she doesn't believe how long this pathway will bring her as the darkness provides her a pathway for some reason. The darkness soon materliazes two pathways.

A.      Left pathway

B.      Right pathway

She goes to the right pathway and moves with confidence as going for about 10 hours. She couldn't believe that the journey she is in will be this tiring and boring. She screams out of nowhere and soon a screeching sound is heard. Suddenly behind her, she was chased by numerous frightening creatures that heard her voice from afar. She couldn't be able to identify the creatures due to the angle and the contrast of the light she has. She runs as fast as she could in order to live after randomly choosing the pathway quickly, she is now lost but good thing the foul creatures lost track of her presence.

She takes a break and sits down on the ground, the slime jumps from her small bag and so the slime is showing the way. The slime is now guiding Claire from a safe path.

"You must know where to go, I don't know your name. How about we make you one. Slime huh... what should I call you? How about Sunshine? Since you shine like sunshine." The slime seems to be pleased with the name. "Let's head now considering I'm not tired anymore." They soon head out around 129 pathways they made for about 49 hours. Now they see a pit for about 56 feet.

Claire tried to climb down to the pit but she has no experience climbing so she missed one and fell but good thing the slime acts as a soft landing on Claire. "Thank you." They continued to march on as they finally reached the end of the abyss, a large two doors were in front of them. Claire opens it and sees a broken down mansion where a small blue light coming from the top of the abyss was glistening, she takes her time to appreciate the fallen background as entering another doorway, seeing a familiar girl with a beautiful dress as she looks stunning as a lost star from the deep space.

"Beautiful..." That girl hums a beautiful tone as staring at the top of the abyss appreciating what she has, the beauty of the abyss.

The slime offers Claire to wait up until she notices her for her not to be rude on her moment. She waits and watch this ravishing little girl like some sort of a dark but beautiful painting from a gallery. Her hum stops and soon she took a glimpse on Claire. She slowly walk with a fancy moves as then she address her name to her.

"Hello there, I'm Cthylla, the queen of the abyss. How can I help you, traveler?"

"Sorry, I just don't want to bother you since you're beautiful."

"Thank you."

"So... It's really you Cthylla. I thought you died."

"I'm afraid so. The other me in your world died sadly, like from a dream. I experienced it in my sleep."

And so the discussion continues...