Over the darkness, the fire spread like a long mantle, covering the rough floor, the straight walls, and the curved ceiling. Everything once contained shattered into fragments that glowed with a celestial light, like rays of the sun itself.
The walls, once thick and made from a mixture of clay and body parts, became smooth and as flat as a blade forged by a master blacksmith. Alongside them, small statues hidden in the darkness—once ornate—gradually lost their place.
August was never a skilled warrior. He wore no metal beyond his research equipment, so he used Beatriz's sword as a torch, his gaze that of a child lost in a forest. The straight walls reflected the light, while other forms glowed softly.
The structure was slightly different, resembling large statues, yet still bore the natural semblance of stones shaped by flowing water, animal claws, and plant life.
In just a few steps, Killbit and Candela found a trail of light, like the sunrise through a small window. Killbit's face showed anxiety; he sensed the surroundings had changed. Now, the danger would not come from the walls.
Though Candela walked at the speed where the light shone brightest, her mind remained trapped in fragments of memories. Her heavy sighs were not from exertion but from her body releasing tension stretching from head to toe. A sharp ache pierced her chest.
"Did he have to run like a fool? I thought he was like Gustav, but he's nothing but a mediocre scientist. Clearly, he doesn't know how to fight." She looked around. "This place chills me more than the long corridors we crossed." She sighed. "Are you alright, Killbit?"
He smiled. "Of course! But you're acting strange. I hear your heart racing, your breath heavy. Your eyes tell me you're not really here." He hid his face. "I think I said too much. You look uncomfortable. But I'm genuinely worried—what's going on?"
"Now my heart pounds with fear! Your senses weren't like this before. Had they been, you wouldn't have taken so many hits." She leaned against the wall. "For some reason, every time we defeat a powerful enemy, I regain fragments of memory—but they're far from clear. It's tearing at my sanity."
She sat on the floor. "That's why you collapsed with me. Afterward, you were desperate because you couldn't heal me—but remember, I'm very strong!" Candela shook her head. "Alright, I'm a developing prodigy—I won't deny that. But I don't understand how you feel. Could you describe it, please? I want to learn more about your emotions."
"That was both cute and terrifying. You smiled and spoke just like Gustav." He crossed his legs, looking up at the ceiling. "It's like standing in a desert that suddenly becomes an ocean swallowing everything. What I am are tiny grains, and the vast sand is who I was. Terrifying." He glanced at Killbit. "I wonder if the wind will one day sweep the grains away, and I'll forget you too. But why is Gustav branded on me like a scar? Why?"
He smiled, taking Candela's hand. "You'll never forget me, do you know why? Because you'll always care for me, and I'll always need that. So don't think badly of yourself!" He paused, then pointed at Candela. "In the desert, you are like the sun above all. Your conscience is stronger than your past or future. You shine brighter than everything else. Remember that! Now, let's go before August kills Beatriz!"
Candela felt far from knowing who she once was, but was certain that by then Killbit would be strong enough to follow in her footsteps, while he would be the one to pave her path—to discover her true self. That's how Killbit slowly grew.
As Candela moved to embrace her brother, a great spark appeared above her eyes, and her body felt a heavy impact. Beatriz lay conscious beneath August, who had fallen atop her. Before she could summon her cleaver, a tall figure with glowing incandescence on its body appeared.
This golem resembled the colossal blue-eyed being but was more compact. Its body was solid, with no eyes or mouth; its form was more humanoid than any other golem seen before. Despite trembling and eyes filled with terror, August advanced on the creature. His slash, out of sync with his body's movement, failed to pierce it; instead, flames raced over the creature, intersecting with carvings etched into its rocky skin.
August gripped his sword tightly, but a blow sent him crashing into the wall, his eyes blazing with rage. His hands ignited; with flaming fingertips, he traced a seal on the ground. Cracks formed across the golem's body. Lowering his head, he plunged his sword into the circle, which swallowed it. The cracks dimmed, and the sword reemerged impaling the golem.
As he twisted his wrist, a loud sound echoed; the golem began melting, revealing a black sphere hidden inside. Reflexively, Killbit summoned his silver sword and struck the core, destroying it. Before anyone could process what had occurred, another golem appeared. Understanding more, August absorbed the sword's energy, his eyes turning blue. He drew a circle in the air and hurled it at the creature, inscribing it as it flew.
The sword's physical form faded into a fierce spark. August's swift fingers drove the spark through the golem's body, creating cracks. The golem exploded into pieces; over its core, a transparent sphere emanated heat. With a snap of his fingers, August restored the golem, now under his command.
"Excellent—I knew Beatriz was my masterpiece. Even to exist, I had to sacrifice many lives." The golem crouched before him. "Now I don't have to run scared anymore, phew." He was startled by Candela and Killbit. "What a surprise—I didn't see you there. Sorry for fleeing like a coward, but I was afraid. The sword's magic combined with Beatriz's heat control is incredible!"
Candela laughed. "Even your fighting style is pathetic. At least the liar wielded something sharp well. Look at you—turning such a mighty sword into a fireplace flame." She tapped the golem. "Still, you earned some points for using what you had. Strange—you said you couldn't use magic? Yet you did?" An illusion appeared behind Beatriz. "If you're hiding something, I'll kill you."
His hands blazed with golden fire. "But I wasn't the source of the magic—it was the sword. It came from the sun of the Beast Coliseum, a being not of our making. Beatriz defeated it. I just used magic to modify the laws of physics involving heat." He crossed his arms. "I merely became a maestro. Come on, kid—explain it. I know you figured it out. Your eyes scare me; they remind me of Gustav."
"If you insist, I'll explain before Candela finishes you off." He traced the circle on the golem's chest. "First, you cast a spell converting heat transfer into teleportation, making the sword appear inside the golem. Then you stabilized its magnetic core with your heat and inscribed a control spell over it." He closed his eyes. "I feel different after being struck by the sword's fire. Could it be awakening me? I'm made from parts of my creators; maybe I, too, can retain their knowledge."
The illusion embraced Killbit; Candela took a deep breath. "I'm scared of how much he resembles Gustav—he even talks like him. I don't know if that's good or bad. Just don't start eating golems—they taste like clay." She glanced at August. "Your abilities will ease our journey to the Sloth Sector. Where is it?"
"Before the staircase." He looked around. "It's called Purgatory because the scientists there sleep so deeply they'll never wake. The tower holds the sectors of scientists who created Leviathan's form and concept, the Envy Sector named Solomon's Palace. There lies all research records on the Tower of Babel." He met Candela's gaze then lowered his head. "There we can find information on your past, Candela. But first, we must complete Bernard's task. Besides knowing Vergil's location, he helped Beatriz escape the Coliseum—or rather, his boss... The red-eyed man named Dante."
Killbit felt a strange joy he couldn't explain.
Candela trembled, feeling like a grain of sand.
The golem turned forward.
Its heavy movement made the ground tremble.
More golems appeared ahead.
The cleaver, sword, and flames all flared.