My (Monster?) Hero Life

Chapter 266: Taboo (2)

Lorget hurriedly led his squad through the palace. This time they were aiming to find Shara's group. Lorget wholeheartedly believed that they had already seen the most critical information. So there was no need to disturb anything else that may be resting in here. At least, not without Kace to back them up.

'I don't get it. The ruler should be the heart and soul of the city. So why is everyone acting like nothing has happened to her? The staff that worked here have to know the situation at least. It should be impossible to keep a lid on this situation!'

Even though he was almost one hundred per cent certain that there was nobody else in the palace, Lorget still chose to advance slowly through the bottom floor. He half hoped that Shara had managed to find another piece of information, but at the same time he was worried. 'We could be getting in over our heads here.'

Through their cautiousness, they discovered nothing to be wary of. They backtracked all the way to their initial entry point before heading off in the direction the other team went in. After ten minutes of swimming through these hallways, a figure suddenly burst out of a doorway ahead of them!

The sudden emergence made the jump in surprise before they relaxed. It was a member of their tribe that had followed Shara. The Tu'Thrag had a panicked expression on his face as he towards them. He halted mid swim when he realised that the other group had come to them.

"Sir! You have to see this! We found something!" The goblin suddenly called out.

"Show me!" Lorget ordered while suppressing the urge to throttle the guy. 'Fucking idiot! Just randomly shouting out in a hostile area! Even if we believe that there's nobody here, it's no reason to be complacent!'

The goblin spun back on himself and headed back through the doorway, urging Lorget's team to follow him. Beyond the door, was a staircase that led down into the depths of the earth. Lorget already had a bad feeling about this. 'Something like this should lead to the dungeons or a vault.' He was basing his assumption on the time he had spent scouting out the ruins of the vampire city after the Heroes assault.

The passageway that contained the stairs was so narrow that they could one swim downwards one at a time. It gave off an oppressive feeling. Suddenly, ear-piercing screams echoed up from below. Inciting a panic amongst Lorget's team that something had happened to the others! He picked up the pace and tried to push past their guide, who did not seem worried at all.

"No, wait! It isn't one of ours making that noise! It's what we found!" The goblin hurriedly explained as he grabbed Lorget's dress.

"Shit! You're telling me there's actually still someone alive in here!" Lorget instantly went on guard. If there was a prisoner here, then those sounds made it seem like they were being tortured!

"Sort of. To be honest, we're not sure if it can be called alive." The goblin sounded perplexed as he tried to explain.

"How can you not be sure?" Lorget was becoming agitated. In his mind there had to be at least two entities down here. The one screaming, and the one causing the other to scream in pain. Surely they are not so blind that they could not tell if one of them was alive! "Pick up the pace! I have to see this myself!"

The goblin surged forth, even though he did not believe there was a need to really rush. Sure, Shara had told him to bring Lorget as quickly as he could. However, it was not like their discovery was going anywhere! With a heavy sigh, he pushed on. When they reached the bottom of the staircase, the passageway branched off in different directions. 

Lorget noted that the guide did not hesitate in where he chose to go. Nor did he try to remain covert in his actions. 'At least it seems like they've probably fully scouted out these tunnels. Otherwise, he would not be so brazen in rushing forth.' Lorget silently nodded. At least this young member of their tribe had done something right for once. 

He made a mental note to inform Shadow that this guy needed more training. It was unforgivable to be as loud as he had been in hostile territory. He also failed to give an accurate report on what to expect, which had caused alarm amongst his own team. These kind of things were unforgivable with how their tribe operated. 'The younger ones are too brash. They need to be reminded of who we are.'

Still, that was a matter for another time. Right now, Lorget just wanted to know what was going on down here. 'No matter what it is, we'll have to withdraw and inform the Lord. We don't have the time to search for anything more.' After the seventh turn in this underground area, the young guide stopped outside a doorway.

"Shara and the others are inside. You don't have to worry about making a noise when you see it. It doesn't react to anything that we do at all." Their guide gestured to a half-open door. "There's a ripple on the right as you enter that will allow you to cross over to the material realm. However This thing seems to exist in both realms."

Lorget had already been headed for the doorway when he heard this, causing him to pause in his tracks. With a concerned look on his face, he turned to stare at the guide. Who simply nodded at the unasked question. 'That should be impossible! Even Shadow said so himself! The two realms are distinctly different! You just can not be in two different places at the exact same time!'

His curiosity was piqued, as well as his wariness. Obviously, they were dealing with something outside of their own understanding. As he entered the room, his eyes went wide when he saw the figure that was the source of all the screaming. Right there, in the centre of the bare room. Was someone he recognised being burned with purple flames.

"Phillip!"

"How the fuck is he here!" Lorget bellowed as he glanced at Shara's team. Forgetting his own complaints about the young goblin guide's lack of discretion.

Every member of their tribe recognised this hero. He was the one that had painstakingly tried to kill off their Lord. Right before being handed to Yul to be used as a toy. This just did not make any sense! He should still be on Ulafor Island! So how can he be here in the North, and in the Shadow realm at that!

Lorget's mind went to another matter. He had been told that Phillip should also be in the material realm in this palace! He had to see this with his own eyes! He quickly spotted the ripple and swam over to it. Without wasting any time, he immediately moved through it. He emerged silently in what he assumed was a prison cell.

Just as he had been told. There was Phillip, in the exact same spot. Except there was a difference. Phillip's body looked somewhat ethereal. Like it was not really there. Also, there was no fire on this side, burning him. There was a cage made of red metal around the apparition though which had no counterpart in the shadow realm.

"What the fuck does this mean! This guy is literally in three separate locations! I thought we were done with him!" Lorget cursed. 

In the next moment, everyone got a fright! The two different versions of Phillip disappeared! 'Shit! We just lost track of a hero! They went into full panic mode. If Phillip was somehow free of these entrapments and was physically there with them, then they were definitely in a lot of trouble!

A few of the squad members crossed the ripple to back Lorget up. While the rest remained in the shadow realm in case, Phillip reappeared there. They could not afford to someone as dangerous as him roam around freely! 

Time passed, and nothing happened. There was no sign of him. Although this should be cause for celebration amongst the infiltration squad, it left a lot of questions. Was the hero somehow mixed up in everything that was happening around here?

"Let's head back, the Lord needs to know about this. Maybe he can figure something out." Lorget announced before crossing realms once again.

Upon his return to the shadow realm, Shara confirmed that nothing else had happened on their end either. Lorget had figured as much. It was like Phillip had disappeared into thin air! 

"Forget about it for now. We're getting out of here." The entire squad felt relieved at Lorget's words. Nobody wanted to hang around in this palace for even a minute longer than they had to.

As they turned their backs on the room, a sudden, painful scream resounded. Slowly, they turned their heads. Afraid of what they would find. Forget gulped as a cold bead of sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Phillip!" Lorget exclaimed. The hero had suddenly returned to be burned in the purple fire once again...