Bro, I'm not an Undead!

A dark corridor that gave no homely feel stretched before Skullius and Ferex.r

From the white of the platform that held the entire temple up to the thick block tiling beyond the double doors, its grey giving no warmth as it only showed a narrower than expected prelude to its fullness, the transition was pretty much as heavy as one would expect.r

Except for a dry fountain that was stationed between the tens of meters distance between the double doors and the next doorway into an even darker room, nothing else could be seen or felt but the Discount Human perceived the sting in his senses from prying magical constructs.r

Arrays.r

The two passed through this space and entered the next spot to their journey. r

A large room.r

Strangely, the term room didn't seem to suit it as when Skullius entered, he found that above, there wasn't a ceiling like he expected but several square shaped windows that actually invited a very dim light from an unknown source to illuminate what could be found below them.r

And what could be found here was...r

"Jeez..." Skullius said as his senses picked up on the atrocious elements within this place.r

'I'm sure these are the Slurred Grounds,' Sila chipped in.r

Rows upon rows of human corpses were tied to the walls, their hands bound by thickly woven rope which hung from the ceiling!r

All of them were stripped of their clothing and mutilated in an unsightly manner, gashes and the bloody work of sharp tools evidently carved into them.r

Not a single part of them was untouched and at some point, Skullius began to think that this wasn't exactly torture without purpose.r

Two common features shared by the corpses was how their crotches were devoid of any genitalia whatsoever, what remained there being either a charred patch or carved out hollow and the fact that a large slit could be seen over their abdomens.r

The dried blood on the ground and walls discoloured the floor to an unsightly colouration that would have nauseated a normal human being to a mind-numbing degree but... this wasn't all there was in this place.r

Large goblets with a bronze hue could be seen every four meters down the extensive room where multiple rows of these 'decorations' were hung, within them blood that barely looked like blood.r

"Is this really still just to send a message? To me it seems like these women were doing something else here," Skullius said.r

'That is the case, tomato flinger. Of course this was more purposeful than what this order did outside.<Sigh>. I would have wept as I did ages ago from just knowing that some of my friends and acquaintances met such a cruel fate for such an unholy cause,' Sila said with a distant voice.r

"Your friends?"r

'Yes. Apparently my memory still recalls where each of those I remember are hung even now, though I couldn't even remember the name of this place. Pathetic. At least they left this life behind in the end. For that, I shall weep no more tears.'r

Quite the dark line.r

Skullius couldn't help but wonder if his statement for drawing Sila would start losing value if more of his friends' corpses were strung up in places they visited.r

Probably... if that played out exactly as such as.r

"So what was the purpose behind cutting them up like this?" Skullius questioned as he continued moving, his [Elevated Mana Manipulation] noticing bits of mana clinging onto meaningful groves between the goblets and behind the corpses on the wall.r

'My assumption is that it was to extract the information from their bodies. Information about their techniques. Everyone on this wall was special in some way back in the day,' Sila replied.r

"Body information? So you mean... skills and techniques are found within the body? I thought they were stored in the soul?" r

'When you learn a technique, it is imprinted on your body. The move set, the degree of physical application required, both are carved into the flesh so that they interact with the mana coming from the core. The soul merely replicates this information with time, as it does with everything one does, making it easier for one to perform anything they learned with greater levels of accuracy,' Sila said. 'Do well to remember that detail when you face stronger opponents. I won't hear any excuses when we're lying in a ditch somewhere because you forgot.'r

A little hostility was postulated with the last thing that Sila said, making Skullius scoff as he walked past this illuminated space, his Hound in tow.r

They soon exited and came to a branch that led in two separate paths.r

Skullius chose one at random, as Sila claimed to not be sure which was the right one.r

Following the path which wound and turned, the decor on the walls of unlit torches and wilted bouquets that had housed special flowers which had produced a calming scent in the past were all Skullius could sense along with arrays impeded within the walls.r

After a full twenty minute stretch, Skullius came to find small room along the path with an open door.r

Shelves of books could be peeked from the outside.r

Skullius inched his way closer to them when...r

'Don't,' Sila warned. 'Keep moving.'r

Skullius narrowed his eyes before backing away and walking past this room.r

He hadn't sensed anything wrong but he speculated that perhaps a hidden array too advanced for his senses was there. Sila hadn't elaborated further as with his occasional bouts of silence, one could infer he was trying to recall every detail he could.r

Another stretch strung Skullius and Ferex along until they by another extensive space foreshadowed by a single, but not nearly as large as the Slurred Grounds as what was accommodated wasn't that 'extravagant'.r

It was merely a fine dining space with a large table made of now rotting wood with the twelve chairs that surrounded it experiencing the same fate.r

Strangely, the table which held fine cutlery and other dining ware was split into two.r

From the walls, a large and crooked gash disfigured the room which was littered with little luxuries that made a dining experience more enjoyable; a fireplace, what seemed like souvenir plates placed around the room on shelves along with a beautiful wallpaper that was now old and torn.r

The gash from the wall seemed to have been from a ridiculous force that had carried itself over from the outside to crash against the table.r

'We must be getting close. I don't recall seeing this before but it is undoubtedly linked to the incident that caused the end of the Order of the Trodden Rose,' Sila said. 'Keep moving.'r

Skullius withdrew from the room and walked on in the wide corridor. This was nothing like the Labyrinth of the Yoke. It was more like sightseeing but the Discount could feel that whatever Sila said was approaching, was going to be a pain in the pelvis.r

"Close to what?" he asked.r

Sila didn't reply immediately as he seemed to be piecing together the fragmented story in his mind.r

'I believe I found this out in one of my numerous visits here. What ultimately led to the fall of this Order was a feud. Or rather a doubly profound betrayal between the woman hailed as the founder of the Order and the rest of the members,' Sila said. 'This links back to what we have to face in the end. The twelve guardians to the legacy of the Trodden Rose.'r

"Twelve?!" Skullius gaped.r

'They were, but not anymore. Only a few should remain. Besides, that is not even relevant.'r

Skullius frowned.r

His only template for what a space holding a legacy was like seemed vastly different from this.r

Where he had come looking forward to an arduous fight from the beginning, he was met with a tour and now, there were guardians that he was supposed to fight? r

The way Sila said it didn't exactly tickle his jewels.r

'For that eventual battle, I advise you to give me control of your body. I can utilise your powers more efficiently. Bes—'r

"Forget it, Sila!" Skullius didn't even entertain the suggestion.r

'I will relinquish control after I defeat the guardians! This is not the time to be stubborn. We could perish here, tomato flinger!'r

This bastard!r

"You really think I will just hand over my body after what you pulled last time?! Was this your intention all along?!"r

'Believe me, tomato flinger. If it wasn't so hard to make an external Creed, I could have scrounged up enough strength to make one with you here guaranteeing that I return your body but I—'r

"I said forget it, bro!" Skullius said firmly before clicking his tongue.r

This slimy bastard was really shameless.r

He would never make a mistake like that again, even if Sila was genuinely appealing for this!r

Once was enough.r

He was only able to tolerate the aged piece of soul right now because his little charade had given Skullius incredible boons but now....r

'Hmph! Pathetic! Nomatter! You'll soon be begging for my help when you witness the strength of those things! We'll see if your resolve to live is as fickle as you let on!'r

Skullius didn't render a reply.r

This guy was mad!r

Honestly, he was beginning to wonder if Sila had been acting all along to which he had to give props but...r

'I won't lose. Nomatter what it is.'r

Ferex beside him grew determined as he felt the fire from his master's will.r

This same will continued to burn incessantly when Skullius soon saw a long stretch leading to what he instinctively knew wasn't a random place but THE place where an atrocious obstacle was waiting.r