Durandal's voice echoed softly in Kaito's mind as they entered the ancient chamber. 'This is the place... I can feel the deep pulse of holy energy radiating from these walls."
Eleanor glanced around the rectangular room with suspicion, her eyes drawn to the fixtures. "Was this place built by the Church?" she asked aloud. She stepped closer to one of the wall-mounted lamps, fingertips brushing its glass surface. "These crystal cores... they're identical to the ones used at the Academy."
Tamamo walked briskly toward the only passageway leading out of the room. "Let's check this place out," she said. she declared, her tail swishing impatiently. The others followed—and were met with a breathtaking sight.
The hallway they entered stretched endlessly in both directions. Towering prison cells lined the corridor, each one sealed with bars of solidified light. From each cell, powerful presences stirred. Some were sleeping. Others watched them intently.
Kaito's eyes widened. Within the cells, he could glimpse beings pulled straight from Durandal's archives: massive dragons, giants, and humanoid figures brimming with unnatural power.
Then a voice, deep and sonorous, echoed through the corridor. "Visitors? How long has it been?"
A massive silver dragon slowly raised its head from within one of the cells. Its eyes were like molten quicksilver, ancient and intelligent. Though it spoke in an unknown tongue, the words resonated in their minds with perfect clarity.
A second voice joined in. A man with a long grey beard and ashen hair sat cross-legged in meditation, eyes still shut. "Approximately eighty years since the last ones. And… only the boy bears any link to the Church."
Then a sultry, teasing voice rang out from another cell. "Hey, boy. Spare a sip of your blood? I haven't tasted anything in decades."
From a bed stepped a lithe woman with two pairs of bat-like wings, each as long as her arms. The upper pair stretched proudly above her shoulders, while the lower fluttered lazily behind.
Another cell stirred—a tall, imposing suit of armor shifted, its helm and visor devoid of any life. "I don't know how you got here," it rumbled, "but you should leave. This place isn't for outsiders."
"Oh, don't be like that. It's been so long since we had company. Isn't it nice to talk to someone who's not chained to this place?" Spoke a beautiful androgynous being with sleek, black feathered wings.
The dragon tilted its head, scales shimmering faintly. "So then… why are you here? The Church abandoned their visits long ago. Are you trying to free someone? If so, I suggest you give up."
Kaito stepped forward, still awestruck by the creatures around him. "We came at the request of the No Life King… to destroy his newly formed consciousness before it spreads further into the world."
"Ah, so that explains it. That soulless husk has been stirring as of late," the vampire murmured, her crimson eyes glinting with amused intrigue.
The suit of armors spoke again. "Even if that's your goal, I urge you to turn back. Meddling in this place may doom the world more than save it."
"He's in the back. Left side," said the fallen angel casually.
"Why encourage them?" the suit of armor snapped. "No good will come of this."
"C'mon, I'm bored," the fallen angel replied with a playful shrug. "I want to see what they'll do."
"Same," the vampire agreed, stretching her wings lazily. "Anything's better than staring at stone walls."
"I'm tired of sleeping too," the silver dragon added with a snort of amusement.
Eleanor blinked. "Ah… thank you, I think?"
They continued walking down the corridor, the strange inmates murmuring behind bars. Some watched in silence. Others called out with greetings, curiosity, or warnings.
They continued their walk through the corridor. Some of the prisoners were asleep and were not disturbed by their presence, while others watched them in complete silence. Some, however, would call out, and one voice, in particular, directly by name.
"Tamamo no Mae!? Is that you?" The voice came from a massive phoenix with plumes of black flames emanating from its form. Its crimson eyes burned with recognition.
Tamamo, who had been walking with a confident strut, turned her head to look at it, a flicker of recognition in her eyes, but she decided to ignore it and continue walking.
"Hey! Don't ignore me! I know it's you, Tamamo no Mae!" the phoenix squawked, its black flames flaring in annoyance.
Tamamo sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She turned halfway and said with deliberate disinterest, "Who are you again?"
The phoenix recoiled. "Don't tell me you've forgotten me! It's me, Moque! We met dozens of times at the Gensokyo banquets!"
A genuine smile touched Tamamo's lips for a brief moment. "Ah, I remember now. Well, let's go, human; we can't waste our time."
"Wait! You have to free me! Those insane Church zealots locked me up just for flying over their sacred mountain!" Moque cried out.
Moque's pleas were utterly ignored as Tamamo grabbed both Kaito and Eleanor and ushered them ahead, her stride quickening.
Near the end of the corridor, they arrived at the cell. There, slumped yet imposing, was the No Life King.
A skeleton bound by dozens of massive, glowing chains anchored into the stone walls. His body was draped in tattered robes that clung like shadow to bone. From within his hollow eye sockets burned an unholy soul flame that was all too aware.