Chapter 42: Beneath the skin pt.3

"What have you found Solan?"

I heard the admiral's rumbling voice come in the distant darkness, turning my back I could see the big group approaching. The admiral walking first and then 6-10 other members following him closely behind. 

-step, step-

I could barely count how many there due to stupid dark, despite being a major city there were no lighting in sight and no sources of light. We were currently standing Infront of a towering bell tower enclosed to the island's edge. 

"Why is it so dark here?"

One of the members had pulled out a torch from who knows where and had lit it with a gas lighter.

Admiral Benedict watched my back with an raised eyebrow after seeing what was Infront of me again. There was a lone bulkhead behind the watchtower, you could see it just barely through the enclosed stone gaps. 

"For some reasons my voices lead me here". I spoke remembering when I had walked past the dark gap, the voices were almost screaming at me like they were punishing me for not seeing it.

There was a slight silence between us, the members looked at me like I crazy.

"...right... Solan's rumored to be mental" One the members whispered silently to each other. 

"The gap must be a passageway, i can see the door through the enclosed stone gap...". Benedict spoke looking at the thin gap that only a skeleton could get through. 

"Its hard to get through here, unfortunately my body is too big for this".

Benedict walked ahead of me, a slight huff in his voice

"What a weird way to flex" he said before raising his own fist and smashing the entire stone wall into ruins creating a wider gap enough for our sizes to get through.

"...Well, should we look at that door?" Benedict said pointing at the bulkhead.

Benedict's strength sure is something, hes known for his abnormal strength. Though pretty sure such strength doesn't just come from being an executioner for half their life's... or maybe? They have to continuously raise heavy axes that are made to specifically cut through flesh and bones in one go. 

After we arrived at the hidden bulkhead the entire place was surrounded by jagged mountains walls with sharp corals of stones that could cut through anyone with enough speed and force. 

On the right was a lone door that then led out to the watchtower and then towards the street that we had come from. 

"I have a lot of questions" Admiral told himself referring to the random hidden bulkhead in the midst of it all. 

"Those questions will be answered once's we enter it" 

Two of the members got on each side, quelling their fingers through the small gap and lifted it up like a feather. The bulkhead seemed to be rotting and the wood was at least decades year old judging by the moss covering it slightly 

It revealed a far passage way, a long man-made corridor, with enough space to have two people walk by the side. Taking a great look it seemed almost ancient and mysterious, like it was crafted centuries ago.

***

As the group continued to walk Solan had only a few things in mind. His voices, for unknown reasons they were starting to get loud again, repeating his name over and over again.

"Solan..."

"Solan...

Ignoring it for the time being Solan stepped beside the admiral as they continued walking further down the corridors. 

"..Admiral, I know where to go...".

"Really?"

"Yes...".

As I took the lead I made sure to go Infront of the group consisting of 7 members after I had counted again. This place was dark and gave me the creeps. And as for the symbols that could be seen engraved on the walls every now and then were symbols that I have never seen or heard of.

-Step, Step- 

The further we went down the louder the voice became.

Was there something down here connected to my vessel?

Once we arrived at what we thought was the end there was an huge open cave with green glowing water surrounding the small land area we were standing on. The high ceiling was covered in huge masses of luminous moss and the weeds hanging from what I could presume was the roots of the trees on the surface area.

"What is this place?"

"Look at those pillars" one of the members spoke eyeing tall mysterious pillars. 

There were symbols engraved in stone pillars around on the remaining land that hadn't been engulfed by the glowing water yet. 

"Look over there" Benedict pointed out with a cautions expression. 

Ahead of us stood a lone marbled fountain. It was empty of water and seemed to be dry.

"There's nothing here?"

I inspected the fountain closer and looked at its own stand before noticing the same symbols from before. The symbol has been everywhere we've walked ever since we entered the corridor. 

"Solan~!"

For a sudden moment the voices spiked up. I felt dizzy and i almost lost balance on my knees like they were failing me. 

"Solan? Is everything good?" Benedict asked curious, approaching from behind putting a hand on Solan's shoulder.

I could barely hear him or feel his touch. My entire head was swirling and I couldn't feel my own hands, I tried to stand up but before I knew it I tripped down on back.

"A-Argh!"

"Solan~!" 

The voices were at its all time highest. My head felt like it was going to explode, I can't do it anymore, It feels like my mind is being cut into hundreds, thousands, millions of pieces. My body is breaking down, I feel like my skeleton is crumbling almost undergoing a drastic change like I'm undergoing metamorphism.

I can't hear myself, but I know on the outside I'm screaming the loudest I can.

"What's happening with Solan?" 

The sky members tried to get a hold of him of the kneeling man before them. 

"Hey are you alright?" One of them asked, putting their hands on his shoulder.

Solan was silent, the only thing they could hear was a heavy panting coming through his mask, it was a abnormal rhythm which admiral Benedict took notice off. Admiral approached closer only to see him clenching his hand onto his chest.. or accurately above his heart.

"Hey Kid! what's wrong!" Benedict shouted, his eye raised in confusion and slightly worried yet his face didn't show it. 

Just for another second that went by Benedict felt chills gliding through his spine, his bodily hair rose as slightly felt the inhumane mist radiating from Solan's body, it slowly settled onto the ground beneath them. 

"...Huh?"

There was a sense of danger radiating from his body and Benedict who knew from his decades of experiences turned to his members.

"Hey! get away from Solan now!"

"W-What do you mean-"

Before they'd know Solan stood up, his expression darkened and his gaze on the ground. 

"Huh? Solan-" 

Before the innocent member could speak Solan lifted his arm. In just a slight moment his fist turned into several layers of hardened scales.

-Swish!-

Benedict caught the member away before any harm could be done in a blink.

"Get away! Solan's not acting normal!"

Turning back to Solan he stood there silently, his expression blank and.. uncanny. His pupils were tiny almost like how a wolf looks at it's prey once its locked in. 

Solan dashed towards Benedict with claws made from his scales about to unleash a slash from above. With a smooth dodge he moved to the side, his hair blowing a bit from how fast the attack was. 

"You guys, head to the surface immediately and notify the nearby soldiers!".

With a quick nod the members ran towards the exit one after one with a rush. They knew themselves they shouldn't get in their bosses' way, they have been aware of their admiral's capabilities ever since they joined the division. 

Once everyone was gone Benedict turned back to Solan with a raised eyebrow. 

The uncanny feeling that was radiating from the young man before him was terrifying. With a swift motion Benedict ran at Solan with a open palm trying to get his head but was caught off guard once Solan dodged beneath with both of his hands together and claws directed towards his face.

"Tch-!" 

Benedict raised his head fast before the claws could reach his face, with the dodge successful he raised his leg and extended it towards Solan kicking him hard sending him flying one of the standing pillars behind him. 

"He's speed is abnormal... I've seen his skills before, either hes been training the hardest he can for the last month or there's someone who is controlling him".

-Crack-

Just a second after Solan returned Infront of him, just a few meters away from indulging his claws yet again into Benedict's face. 

"W-What the-!?" Benedict uttered surprised but composed himself during the moment. 

"Get away you damn freak!"

With a swift motion of his hand he ducked under his attack and leaned his arm against his body, slamming him into the jagged cave walls by the exit. 

"...What the hell is wrong with him?"

Gazing at the young man's state his arms were dangling with his body twitching ever so slightly. 

His expression was different from the one before.

His pupils were almost gone, you could barely see them and hes even smiling in a uncanny way, his canine visible showing.

'What the fuck is wrong with him'

Benedict's first thought was that he wasn't human at all... His expression along with his actions were like a wild animal that seeked violence.