Chapter 19- The Spiral Prison (Part 1)
Akio's eyes flashed with a hint of understanding as he saw what the floating box in front of him said. The words were simple and straightforward yet also hardly believable at first.
The concept was just too foreign for him. How can mere words determine that he had grown stronger? Did Holem somehow take control of his body and could guide it however it wanted? If that were the case then could Holem technically change his whole anatomy merely to fit what it wants? Or it can even turn him into a monster like the ones he saw in the real world?
These questions, as paradoxical as they seem, could only pass through his mind before anything else as Akio was in and out of himself, an odd human being. People's train of thought and logic didn't apply to his mind so often he would end up focusing on details that others might find pointless or stupid. But, seeing his current situation, Akio immediately shook those thoughts and focused on what he had at hand at the moment. Such questions can be left for when he has more information about this matter.
'Hmm, did I really grow stronger?' Clenching his fist once or twice, he tried to discern any difference from before. A few seconds later, his face lit up with impressed shock. As minuscule as it was, he could clearly sense a weird feeling running through his whole body.
He couldn't quite describe it precisely but it was as if someone had pumped energy into his body that he never had before. It was by far the best feeling Akio had experienced in his whole life, or as fat as he remembers, at least. This surge of power was intoxicating as it erased a good chunk of the usual feeling of weakness and fragility Akio felt from all over his body.
As he was like that, a group of men appeared from behind the grumpy leader, wearing the same uniforms but with a different design that didn't look as flashy as that of the latter. Entering the wagon, they started unshackling the prisoners before they roughly pulled them up and dragged them outside.
Akio was no different as he was basically pushed outside, stumbling and almost falling on his face.
The wagon was quite big when looking from the outside but it didn't have anything worth mentioning other than that. The more intriguing detail was what was standing in front of the wagon.
"MAAAAAAAAH!!"
The sound of two giant creatures echoed in the vicinity. The two animals that were pulling the wagon were nothing like what Akio had seen before. They were massive in size, towering over 7 feet in height. They looked like a mixed breed of bulls, horses, and camels except more muscly and intimidating with grassy-green fur coating their bodies. On their heads were two oversized horns that curved upward with point-sharp edges.
However, instead of getting annoyed or intriguingly looking at the two weird creatures that carried him here, he focused on something completely off-topic yet also extremely important.
'My leg… It's healed? Huh? How?' He thought as he looked down.
His left leg which has been deeply injured and in a very poor state has somehow healed in a very short time that doesn't exceed an hour. Hell, it could even be considered mere minutes or seconds that split the time between leaving the real world and coming to Holem.
'So many things happening. This place is really as bizarre as the rumors I heard… maybe even weirder.'
Even till now, the weight of the fact that he was transported to the hellish paradise known as Holem still didn't sink in yet. This place, as much as it may be the desire of every human, is still one of the main reasons for his horrible life to this point.
Because of this place, he had to deal with a completely insane father that wanted to kill him. Because of this place, he had to work in the mines for hours and hours on end just to provide material to create weapons and armor for the crusaders. Because of this place, he almost died multiple times and sustained numerous injuries.
Not to mention the legends he heard about this place that was for lack of a better term, completely insane.
Yet, somehow, without any warning, he was transmigrated to this place. Holem had miraculously accepted an outcast like him for some reason.
'So Holem chose me… huh.' He thought to himself.
People who get chosen by Holem are considered to be the luckiest, the most honorable, and most respected people. It didn't matter whether they were murderers, rapists, thieves, or any other horrible criminals that are lower than life itself, as long as Holem chooses them, they instantly jump in the hierarchy to the top, above-average humans.
The moment anyone could go back to the outside world after visiting Holem once, they are guaranteed a very lavish life.
In a sense, the whole world was guided by Holem and humans are gladly accepting that. It was the real ruler above kings and emperors. It was the one that chooses who is meant to be great and who is meant to stay completely unknown. It was the one who chooses who to die and who to live, who to gain immense power and wealth, and who to end up serving such people.
That same place had given Akio the same chance billions of people would kill for.
'Somehow, I don't even feel anything… Isn't this place supposed to be the paradise I'm looking for?' He asked.
Holem was right in front of him, not the one that his father self-destructed himself for, but the one that was genuinely true. Akio expected to feel something, anything. However, he was still as senselessly calm as he was before he came here.
As Akio was in that dilemma of his, a voice called for his and the other's attention. It was the same guard that yelled at them to get out of the wagon.
"Move your asses! We are still a distance away from the prison." He said as he grabbed one of the chains that linked a row of prisoners to one another through their shackles. The material this chain and these shackles are made of still intrigued Akio.
Then, the group of prisoners, guided by another group of guards started walking. Sadly for Akio and the others, they didn't have something to wear on their feet so they had to walk shoeless on the cold ground.
However, for better or worse, the path was paved with cement and stones so no small pebbles poked their feet and toes. Akio would take this path over any of the bumpy roads of the slums at any time.
'Hmm, are we inside some kind of forest?'
Akio finally had the time to take a look at his surroundings. The path they were crossing was in the middle of a thick forest filled with trees and grassy lands. It wasn't a thick forest but it was still quite eerie and ominous as if something was lurking behind those trees, watching them intently, assessing each and every one of the prisoners.
The young boy felt a chill run down his spine from this mysterious feeling. But, he didn't have time to stop and look around as he was immediately dragged by the walking guard.
The second thing he noticed was the color of the forest. Everything around him, from the trees to the plant and even the grass, had a shade of red. The color was so pronounced that it could almost be mistaken to be the color of blood.
It was as if a huge massacre occurred here that coated everything in its consequences turning a rather beautiful forest into a product of nightmares. But, Akio quickly realized that it was actually the real color of the forest.
'What kind of forest is this…' Akio wondered.
Something about this place didn't sit well with him. Maybe because of the color but he was still sure that it had more to hide other than the ominous red.
"Don't stop!"
As he was like that, he heard a yell behind him. Turning around, he saw the boy that talked to him before, Toru getting kicked forward.
"Hey, hey! Easy on me! I'm moving." He said as he smiled at the guard.
He didn't seem to be offended by the sudden hit at all. At this point, his attitude was more than just merely being nice, it was bordering on outright foolishness. It's as if the young man lacked the ability to get angry.
'I will stay away from him…' Akio noted that in his head.
Then, for the next few minutes, the group continued walking in complete silence. There was a tense atmosphere looming over the prisoners, gripping their hearts and clouding their senses. Each one of them came from a prestigious clan or a wealthy family. They had dedicated their lives to this moment, for the moment they finally enter the realm of dreams and nightmares. They had trained, studied, and religiously consumed anything that would make their journey easier.
So, oddly enough, there were no attempts to try and escape or cry for help. There were no protests or anger either. Just, deep silence just like what a truly seasoned warrior would do.
Eventually, they reached what seemed to be the end of the forest as ahead of Akio, there seemed to be a vast, open area that extends far beyond the horizon. The only thing that linked this place to the forest was the blood-red grass that didn't stop expanding beyond their vision.
On that plain stood a massive structure that took Akio's breath away. A shocked expression crept up his face slowly.
'What… Is that…' His mind barely generated that thought as it was occupied by the impressive sight.
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