Chapter Thirty-Four: Sliver of Time. {Bonus Chapter}
"Wrong." The voice sounded as the daggers fell.
'Curse it.' Dusken thought as his mind raced.
If marriage wasn't then what came after love? Perhaps it was only one other thing. Scenes played out in his mind once again.
After the marriage, he cried, holding the corpse of two people dear to him. His newly wedded wife is holding his hand.
Another scene played out once again. Him crying before a broken bridge, watching the last shadows of his family sinking deep into the ocean.
All these scenes played out in his mind, but he suppressed them all, albeit with great difficulty. With a despondent tone, he muttered.
"Death. That's the only thing after love." His words were spoken in a low tone but they were still heard by the voice.
The daggers stopped mere inches from his head. Even so, Dusken paid them no heed as he watched the labyrinth slowly shift and create a path.
The voice sounded once more, its tone laced with the experience of life.
"Why?" Those were the words it asked.
Dusken walked forward, crossing into the new path opened up by the labyrinth before answering.
"Simply because I was a fool. Marriage can't come after love, only death." His words were laced with deep, dark confidence as he added:
"There is love between siblings, do they marry? There is love between a child and his parents, do you wed? There is love in a family, do they also marry? The answer is no.
Love is a tree with many branches, and what comes after it is death. Not only love but everything in the world, they all end, no matter what. Devoured by death, embraced by death and finds peace within death. This is the cycle of life and what comes after love."
These words were spoken as a tear fell from Dusken's eyes. However, he wiped them off the very next instant.
Some time passed with no response from the voice. Soon, it spoke once again.
"So, for your third question…" Before the voice could complete its words, Dusken interrupted it, already anticipating it.
"I have passed, you asked your last question already." He spoke calmly.
However, the very next instant, a rage-filled voice boomed in the, area.
"I didn't declare that you passed, remember?" The words, coated with fury reached Dusken's ears.
Even so, he only smiled.
"I'm already in the place opened up by the labyrinth after my second question. Why did you think I entered here before answering your question?" His words were cool and calm, a huge contrast to the roaring of the voice.
"You scheming bastard. I am the inheritance spirit in this place; without me, you can't get the inheritance; go, we'll meet soon, hehe." The words chuckled maliciously as a path opened up before Dusken.
He nonchalantly walked through the path and found himself standing in front of the palace; he didn't know what this second stage was also about; maybe clues were in the castle.
Dusken knew that he had to hurry before the person challenging the second phase completed it.
But before he took a step, however, a black gas flew at his location, slowly transforming into a young lady.
She had long, dark raven hair, deep onyx eyes and flawless white skin while she held a small book in her hand.
The young lady stood, her clothes clinging tightly to her body as the winds blew; a long pointy hat was on her head, and her hands were covered in opera gloves that glided over her elbows.
Dusken recognized her as the witch Madonna. His heart leapt into his throat as her deep dark eyes stared at him with unconcealed curiosity.
'A level nine expert, as expected, her presence alone brings me great dread.' Dusken thought inwardly.
Suddenly, Madonna started to sniff as her eyes glinted like she had seen a long-lost toy.
"Young child, I smell the scent of the abyss from you. How about you come with me so that I'll teach you the dark ways?" Her soothing voice sounded as her long legs moved, taking a step forward.
"Tell me, are you an Abyssal crest, Abyssal companion, Abyssal earth or Abyssal star?" She asked with great curiosity in her tone.
Dusken's heart trembled in horror.
'Did she just ask whether I am an Abyssal Star?' He asked himself inwardly. He didn't even know who were those other Abyssal things that she mentioned.
'Abyssal Star is just my talent. Why is she asking?' Dusken thought solemnly as he asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about; what's an Abyssal Demon?" He tried probing for some information from her.
However, to his surprise, Madonna didnt answer and just waved her hands.
"You don't need to know, now follow me." Her cold voice sounded as her hands transformed into multiple shadow tentacles shooting at him.
Dusken immediately moved, but his strength couldn't compare to level nine. In an instant, the tendrils arrived near him, grabbing his arm.
'Curse it.' He shouted inwardly while struggling.
Witch Madonna took a step forward, reaching his location in a blink. She raised her arm about to knock him out when suddenly, a force sent her reeling backwards.
Raising his head to glance at who had just saved him, he saw a young man with brown hair and blue eyes, completely clad in red and black armour standing with a sword in hand.
He instantly knew who this man was, Madonna had referred to him previously as Bryan.
Bryan stared at him, his eyes holding unconcealed curiosity as to why Madonna had attacked this child, before speaking.
"Get going kid, now!" He shouted as he charged at the rising Madonna.
A battle soon followed, and Dusken couldn't even see their movements. Only blurs were visible to him.
A loud voice once again sounded throughout the entire inheritance ground.
"THREE HOURS LEFT TILL DEATH!"
Soon after, another word rung out once again.
"THE SECOND PHASE HAS BEEN CLEARED!!!"
Hearing thess words, without second thoughts, Dusken gritted his teeth and ran forward, into the huge castle. As soon as he entered through the opened door.
A voice sounded, telling him the requirements for the second phase.