Chapter 47: Hymns of Tainted Darkness
The trio—Tian Heng, Lilith, and Faila—moved with extreme caution inside the central structure of the ruined ruins. The inner corridors were dark and damp, the stone walls coated in a slimy layer of mold and moss, and they reeked of old dust mixed with that sickly sweet incense that had grown stronger. The strange symbols carved or painted on the walls became clearer and more frequent—impossible geometric shapes, eyes staring from the shadows, and what looked like twisting tentacles or gaping mouths. They stirred a deep, primal discomfort.
The low chanting they had heard outside was louder now, accompanied by the slow, unsettling beat of a drum that echoed like the heartbeat of something diseased. The corrupted energy they had sensed earlier was even heavier here, pressing on their senses, stirring faint nausea or instinctive unease—even in Tian Heng with his usual cold composure. Lilith walked tensely, emitting a very faint hiss, as though sensing a vile spiritual or aetheric threat. Faila, on the other hand, moved expertly through the shadows, pointing out cracked tiles or potential trap zones for Tian Heng to avoid.
After minutes of careful sneaking through the crumbling passageways, they reached what seemed to be the heart of the structure: a wide opening, possibly once a grand doorway, overlooking a large, slightly sunken circular hall. They stopped at the edge, hidden in the shadows, and peered down.
The hall was vast and dark, most of its ceiling collapsed to reveal a small patch of the cloudy night sky. At its center stood a large, strange, black stone altar. Upon it pulsed a dark violet glow—not from a crystal, but from something organic, roughly the size of a bull's heart, dimly writhing, and radiating the same corrupt energy they had felt before. Several strange black candles burned around it, casting long, flickering shadows across the walls.
Surrounding the altar stood six figures in tattered black robes, their hoods hiding their faces almost entirely. They swayed slowly, chanting in a guttural, alien tongue filled with throat sounds. They didn't look fully human; their exposed skin—hands, bits of face—was unnaturally pale, marbled with bulging dark veins, and their movements were stiff and slightly off. They were channeling energy from their hands toward the pulsing "heart," either feeding it or drawing power from it.
Tian Heng observed intently, analyzing every detail. These were the cultists mentioned by Faila and the bandits. The ritual appeared directly connected to the pulsing object and the tainted energy. But what exactly was its nature? And what was their end goal?
[Core, analyze the energy emitted by the organic object on the altar. Compare it with any recorded threats. Also, do the wall symbols or the spoken language match anything in the database?]
The core responded swiftly after analyzing sensory and aetheric data through Tian Heng's enhanced senses:
[Analysis... A high-entropy bio-chaotic energy signature detected, unclassified. Partial resemblance to "Void Aether Contamination" warnings found in ancient threat records related to extra-dimensional entities. Displays active and poorly understood organic traits. Wall symbols are unknown—no match to Builder, Elven, or demonic scripts. Spoken language unregistered—may be a localized cult dialect or the tongue of a non-terrestrial/interdimensional entity. Severe warning: Prolonged exposure may erode pure aether or cause severe mutational effects in aether-sensitive beings.]
Void Aether contamination? Entities from other dimensions? Mutational side effects? This was worse than he expected. This wasn't just some alternate form of aether—it was something inherently dangerous and hostile.
"They serve the Outer Darkness... the void that devours stars," whispered Faila beside him, her violet eyes gleaming with genuine worry and disgust. "I've seen similar symbols in the deepest, oldest ruins my people dared explore... Places best left sealed."
Lilith hissed low and deep, her demonic energy visibly reacting with hostility to the corrupted energy. "Filth... abomination... it must be cleansed..." she murmured.
Tian Heng realized he had a choice. He could order an immediate attack, using the element of surprise and the power of Lilith and Faila to take out the cultists and seize the pulsing "heart," which might hold immense—if dangerous—power. Or he could retreat now, having learned the nature of the threat, analyze the data, and formulate a safer plan to deal with—or possibly exploit—it later.
He thought quickly. The cultists didn't seem individually powerful, but the nature of the energy they were channeling was unknown and extremely hazardous. Direct combat could expose them to mutational or corruptive effects. The pulsing "heart" might even be a trap or a ticking time bomb. The risks outweighed the potential rewards for now—especially since his main goal was still to activate the vault and secure pure aether.
"We're pulling out," Tian Heng whispered firmly.
Faila and Lilith didn't argue. They nodded, and Faila led them back with the same silent precision, avoiding the traps and retracing their path out of the cursed chamber with the disturbing chanting and the heart pulsing with corrupted darkness.
They met Lira at the exit, who reported no further movement around the ruins. The four of them headed swiftly back toward their temporary cave, leaving behind the ruins and their deadly secrets—for now.