[B3]Chapter 181: A Plea for Forgiveness

As Theo followed closely behind, Liliana didn’t even glance back at him. She moved forward with determined steps with her attention fixed on the path ahead.

Liliana’s senses were sharp, and she was acutely aware that Theo was trailing behind her.

‘This place doesn't fit the description of the Deathwhisper Gate,’ She thought and began to question the accuracy of his information about the portal.

The peacefulness of their surroundings was at odds with the ominous description of the Deathwhisper Gate. There were no monsters, no signs of danger, yet she kept her alertness at a peak.

They continued walking for what felt like an hour, the grassland extending without end. Occasionally, clusters of sunflowers appeared, their faces turned toward the sun, adding to the odd tranquility of this place.

Just as Liliana began to let her guard down, a sudden, bone-chilling wail pierced the sky.

“Waiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!”

The sound resonated through the air, vibrating the ground beneath them like a deep, mournful drum. Both Liliana and Theo instinctively clamped their hands over their ears, their faces contorted in discomfort.

“Waiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!”

The haunting cry continued, relentless and deafening. Theo tightened his grip over his ears, trying to block out the overwhelming noise.

Just then, a transparent golden light enveloped him, forming a protective bubble that instantly muted the agonizing sound. The relief was immediate. Theo looked up and saw Liliana standing close by, her gaze fixed on the sky.

Following her gaze, Theo spotted the source of the disturbing sound—a spectral figure hovering above, draped in tattered robes and surrounded by a black fog, like a ghostly moon obscured by misty clouds.

The figure continued to wail uncontrollably, its cries causing the ground to tremble beneath them. Yet, the radiant shield held firm, keeping the noise at bay.

“A ghost?” Theo whispered.

“It’s more than that; it’s a monster…” Liliana corrected him. She didn’t elaborate on how she identified it, but her certainty left no room for doubt.

“With your holy magic, you can easily dispel it,” Theo remarked, recognizing the nature of the threat and Liliana’s potential to counteract it given her abilities, which seemed particularly suited to combating the dark energies of their current predicament.

Liliana’s gaze remained fixed on the spectral figure. She didn’t respond to Theo’s suggestion immediately, instead narrowing her eyes as if assessing the creature’s strength.

Yet, Liliana knew Theo wasn’t wrong. She was well aware of her power and the advantage it afforded her in this realm; she was far from vulnerable here. In fact, it was more likely this place would suffer from her presence, unless she encountered something truly dangerous.

“Stay still, we need to coax that spectral creature closer if we're going to deal with it properly,” Liliana instructed calmly.

The ghostly figure, noticing that its attempts to harm them were futile, ceased its wailing. With a suspicious, cautious demeanor, it began to drift closer.

Theo and Liliana stood motionless, like statues, giving no indication of life apart from the soft shimmer of the golden bubble that enveloped them.

The spectral creature eyed them suspiciously, its hollow gaze fixated on the golden bubble that enveloped them. Despite the strange protective barrier, the creature couldn’t comprehend its nature.

As the specter floated within a meter of them, its form became clearer. The tattered robe it wore fluttered in the nonexistent wind, revealing a skeletal face with glowing blue eyes that flickered like dying embers. Still, the creature hesitated, seemingly wary of the mysterious shield that surrounded them.

Liliana and Theo remained perfectly still, their eyes unblinking as they waited for the creature to come closer. But the specter refused to make a move, as if something about the shield held it at bay.

Minutes passed, and the standoff continued. Theo’s eyes began to strain from the effort of not blinking, and the discomfort was becoming unbearable. He marveled at how Liliana managed to maintain her composure, her gaze locked on the creature without the slightest hint of fatigue. Perhaps her willpower far exceeded his.

Just when Theo thought they had reached a dead end, the sky above them tore open, and from the rift descended countless radiant golden hammers, descending like a celestial downpour from the heavens.

Caught off guard, the spectral glanced upwards, its form quivering with surprise. Before it could attempt an escape, the barrage of golden hammers rained down, striking the ground with forceful impacts.

“Waiiiiiii!!!”

The spectral wailed in shock and tried to dodge, but the sheer number of hammers overwhelmed it. Despite its quick, darting movements, the radius of the hammer's impacts was too broad, and soon, the apparition was engulfed in the holy onslaught, its form disintegrating into white smoke.

As the last echoes of the spectral's wails faded and the golden hammers ceased their dance, nothing remained of the ghostly figure.

With the threat neutralized, Liliana deactivated the protective bubble.

Theo exhaled slowly, relieved to have survived the ghostly trial in this strange, ominous realm. He glanced at Liliana, silently marveling at how effortlessly she had maintained control of the situation.

The power she wielded was astonishing, and for a moment, he wondered if he could have withstood that holy attack had he been her enemy. The thought left him uneasy—without his [Magic Nullification], he knew the answer would likely be no.

Liliana met his gaze briefly, making sure he was unharmed, before resuming her steady pace. She showed no sign of strain or fatigue after the battle, moving forward with the same cold determination that had always defined her.

As they continued their journey, the landscape shifted from the peaceful green field into something more unsettling. The ground was now covered by an inch of water that splashed beneath their steps. The clear, still surface mirrored the cloudy sky above, though the water had a dark, murky quality to it.

Theo knelt down, curiosity guiding his actions to inspect. He scooped the water, feeling the icy chill seeping into his fingers. The liquid was mixed with a dark, squishy substance, but there was no time to ponder its nature. He rose to his feet and continued following Liliana, who walked ahead, leading them through this forbidding terrain.

Though he said nothing, Theo didn’t question her leadership. He knew his mission wasn’t tied to the Thornwood Wardstone. His true goal was to ensure his best friend’s safety in this treacherous place.

Liliana was formidable, strong enough to defend herself against nearly any threat, but to Theo, she was more than just an ally. She was the friend who had protected him when others had failed, the one who had stood by him when his adopted family mistreated him.

He wasn’t entirely sure how many sacrifices she had made on his behalf, but he knew she had given up more than he could ever repay.

Yet, despite their history, Theo held back from revealing who he truly was. Something made him hesitate—perhaps it was the way secrets had been kept from him before, by others who claimed to protect him. Maybe, by staying silent a little longer, he could gather some clues that Liliana might unconsciously reveal.

As they ventured deeper, the water began to rise around their ankles, and the once-empty landscape transformed again. Gnarled, twisted trees with grotesque faces began to appear, their leafless branches reaching out like skeletal hands. Dark liquid oozed from the trunks, the same liquid that pooled at their feet.

The deeper they went, the thicker the fog became, until it shrouded them completely. Faint whispers started to echo around them, barely audible at first, like distant voices carried on the wind.

But as the fog thickened, the whispers grew louder, more insistent, their cold tones dripping with malevolence. Each word felt like a sharp blade against the mind, designed to wear down even the strongest of wills.

The whispers began softly, like a breeze brushing past Theo’s ear, but soon they became more persistent, more venomous:

“He will hate you…”

“He will hate you for what you’ve done…”

“He will never forgive you…”

The insidious words slithered into Theo’s thoughts, but instead of weakening, his frown deepened. It wasn’t him they were trying to break. His gaze shifted to Liliana, whose expression had grown tense, her forehead creased with unspoken worry.

The whispers weren’t meant for him—they were targeting her.

‘Why would I not forgive her?’ Theo thought. Yet, the sight of Liliana’s growing distress gnawed at him.

Liliana was silent, but the way her fists clenched, the tension tightening her face... something was eating away at her, tearing her apart with every passing second.

The whispers grew louder, more cutting, dripping with malice.

“You should have told him the truth…”

"You are the reason his childhood was snatched away."

“He will never forgive you…”

The voices crescendoed, and from the swirling mist, shadowy figures began to take form, like memories twisted into life. They circled Liliana, half-real, half-nightmare. One of the figures looked like Elowen, lying on the ground beside a young boy, while nearby, a younger Liliana knelt, her eyes brimming with tears.

To the side, a sinister woman cackled with malevolent glee, her laughter echoing through the fog.

“This is all thanks to you,” the woman hissed, her voice dripping with venom. “Everything that happened… it’s because of you.”

Liliana’s breath hitched, her defenses crumbling as tears welled in her eyes. She sank to her knees, clutching her head as the words cut through her like a blade. "I’m sorry..." she whispered, her voice trembling with pain. "I’m really sorry..."

Theo’s heart twisted painfully at the sight. He didn’t understand why she was pleading for forgiveness, but seeing her like this—broken, tormented by the lies of this cursed place—it was unbearable. The strong, cold Liliana he knew was crumbling before his eyes.

Liliana's eyes brimmed with tears as the weight of the accusations bore down on her. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." she sobbed, her voice a faint whisper of despair, each word laden with guilt and sorrow.