Chapter 41 (Part 13)
The golden illusion of Sigiriya shimmered, dazzling and terrible. Towers of stone gleamed like polished gold, and braziers lit themselves with phantom fire. Yet the beauty was laced with dread every figure in this vision moved with hollow eyes, their bodies half-transparent, like memories dragged from the grave.
Namea whispered, her voice trembling: "They're… people. The king's court. Priests, servants, guards… but… they're not alive."
Rihan raised his sword warily. "Not alive, but not resting either."
The air thickened as dozens of ghostly courtiers turned toward Alok's group. Their mouths moved in unison, chanting words that cracked the air like thunder:
"Chains-bearer… trespasser… thief of the Lion King's grave…"
The First Clash
The echoes of Kashyapa's royal guards stepped forward. Their armor gleamed like sunlight on metal, but when their swords clashed, the steel passed through stone as though cutting reality itself.
One lunged at Rihan he blocked, but the impact rang in his bones, forcing him back.
"These things… they hit like they're real!" Rihan spat, his knuckles white on his blade.
Ceya spread her palms, casting shimmering waves of fire to push them back. The flames passed through some, but others howled and staggered as if burned.
"Not all of them are illusions," she realized. "Some… some are bound spirits. Souls chained here."
Alok and the Chain's Resonance
Alok's pendant pulsed violently, his chains writhing like serpents. He gritted his teeth, aiming them at a guard echo. The chains lashed out, binding it in midair.
The spirit screamed not with pain, but with a strange relief, as if being freed. Its body dissolved into sparks of light, leaving behind a faint whisper:
"…thank you…"
Alok's eyes widened. "They're trapped. My chains… can release them."
But the Extera's laughter boomed from the golden throne-shadow, twisting through the illusion.
"Release? No, boy. Every soul you free feeds the labyrinth. Every chain you bind tightens around you."
The Lion Throne Awakens
At the center, the broken lion throne glowed brighter, its carved eyes burning gold. The echoes of Kashyapa's courtiers gathered around it, chanting faster, louder:
"The Lion King lives in memory… bow before his shadow!"
From the throne itself, a spectral lion erupted massive, golden, and burning with phantom fire. Its roar shook the chamber, knocking dust from the ceiling and forcing the group back.
Serina gasped, clutching her spear. "That… that's his spirit beast. A lion bound to his soul."
The lion prowled forward, ghostly and yet crushingly real, its eyes locked on Alok.
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Doubt and Resolve
Fear rippled through the group. Lielle whispered, "Alok… this isn't just about you anymore. If this king's soul is trapped here, fighting it could mean desecration."
But Alok's chains quivered with a painful urgency, almost dragging him forward. He clenched his fists, sweat dripping down his brow.
"My father came here… he knew this secret. If I turn back now, I'll never learn what he found."
He raised his voice, glaring at the phantom lion and the throne.
"I won't bow to shadows of the past. Not to Extera. Not to Kashyapa. I'll forge my own path."
The Clash with the Lion
The lion roared, charging with ghostly flames burning across its mane. The echoes of guards rushed in alongside it, their weapons clashing against Alok's chains and Rihan's blade.
The hall became chaos once more—fire, steel, chains, and phantom roars shaking the walls. But this time, every enemy was bound to history itself.
As Alok fought, he noticed one mural flickering behind the throne a hidden panel showing a man who looked like his father, standing before Kashyapa himself.
And beneath it, glowing faintly, the same phrase whispered again:
"Sedfxsoo enko
Alok's heart thundered. The answer was buried here, in the echoes of a dead king's memory.