The Arcane Guardians Chapter 20: Chapter 18: On Death’s Door (Part One)

Read chapter 20 of The Arcane Guardians by Mercynarie on NovelPedia.

Felix felt solid enough despite being able to see through his hand slightly, which was a huge relief. His astral form pulsated as he tested his powers, feeling Arcani flood his ‘body’ with energy. Good, I still have access to all of my powers. He turned to the floating mass of shadow hovering beside him. “Welcome to Purgatory, Felix.” The shadow shifted and formed a hooded figure draped in an overwhelming dark red cape. An emerald aura shimmered around him as he lifted his hood, revealing the familiar face of Necromancer Orpheus Caesar. “You look different.” Felix grinned. “Badass, even. Actually, everything looks different since the last time I visited. Did Purgatory get a makeover or something?” “Purgatory is an impossibly huge place. It is highly unlikely that the path your sister took would be the same as the one your soul was naturally drawn to.” Orpheus's voice sounded darker and slightly distorted. “We are pilgrims in an unholy place, my friend. Let us make haste.” He pointed at a floating mountain in the distance. “There, the mountain of final judgment. That would be Marcia’s final destination. We have to catch her before she gets there.” Felix walked along the singular path marked by the green shade of grass among a sea of purple. Cosy-looking trees surrounded it, shading them from the warm gaze of the blue sun above them. Everything looked so normal that Felix could have easily confused it for the real world, until he noticed the waterfalls in the distance. ‘Waterfalls’ was not a particularly apt name, especially since the ‘water’ resembled flowing lava instead. Molten magma spilt over the edge of a cliff, but it was locked in position as though it were merely a background picture. Felix looked at the sky in confusion, finally noticing that the clouds were not moving despite the constant breeze blowing through his hair. A cooling wave washed over him, and he found himself on a narrow ledge this time. As usual, his surroundings seemed frozen in time, except for two shimmering rivers running on both sides of his path. The one on his right was a bright golden colour, while the other was so clear that it looked almost invisible. He reached out to touch it, but the rivers only seemed to get further away the closer his fingers got to them. “Don’t bother,” Orpheus muttered. “Time is frozen in Purgatory, except in the rivers of life and death. Souls will be directed to the correct river mouth when it is time for them to head into the afterlife.” “So, Afterlife doesn’t exist in the present?” Felix asked incredulously. “The final judgement only occurs at the end of time.” Orpheus nodded. “That’s why we cannot touch the rivers now. They transport souls through time like a one-way train ticket.” Felix’s heart increased its pace. “C’mon, let’s get to Marcia quickly,” he said, hastening his footsteps. His surroundings changed again as though on cue, and the duo found themselves in an abandoned town in the middle of a desert. The floating mountain was a lot closer now. Felix beckoned to his friend to hurry, but Orpheus did not follow him. “We’re not alone,” he whispered. Felix looked around; his friend was right. Pinpoints of red peeked through the windows of the abandoned shophouses as high-pitched murmurings began to fill the air. Dammit, had the malicious spirits already found them? “I have good news and bad news for us.” Orpheus covered his head with his hood again. “Which do you want to hear first?” “This isn’t the time for jokes, my friend.” Felix raised his fists, covering them in a magenta glow. “The good news is, we are surrounded by the spirits of Meta stillborns.” The Necromancer chuckled. “Which means Marcia should be very nearby.” “And the bad news?” “They want to kill us for trespassing.” A ball of smoke rolled out of a broken door and reformed itself into the shape of a toddler. More ‘babies’ leapt out of the buildings and surrounded the duo. They would have easily passed for adorable as their tiny, round bodies hopp