Reborn as an Extra Chapter 721: Echoes From An Ancient Past. Part-3.
Previously on Reborn as an Extra...
RIKU guided Ashtel directly to the temple's subterranean level. There, a colossal magic circle was etched into the floor, encasing a five-meter-tall, four-armed humanoid figure suspended in mid-air. The magical array served as its protection.
Upon observing the entity, Ashtel confirmed Riku's account.
The figure bore a striking, almost unsettling resemblance to a human.
Its abnormal height and the presence of four arms were the primary distinctions; otherwise, it was remarkably similar!
The creature's skin mirrored that of a human. When Ashtel employed his detection abilities to scan its internal structure, he found that even its fundamental metabolism and organ configuration were nearly identical!
The four arms necessitated a distinct alignment of muscles and bones in the upper torso compared to a typical human, but the underlying anatomy remained fundamentally humanoid.
While the creature's stature surpassed that of an average human, this was not an extraordinary anomaly, as Awakened individuals today sometimes grew to unusual heights.
Ashtel himself stood close to 2.5 meters tall, possessing a physique like a walking fortress, and he was not alone in this regard.
"How could a member of a race extinct for millennia, annihilated by the miasma sea, end up on our planet? This is utterly perplexing..."
Riku nodded in response to Ashtel's astonishment.
"Even I am unaware of the specifics... we discovered this being just outside this temple a few days ago. It was clutching the adamantium slab tightly when we found it..."
"It was as if it served as a harbinger from its kind, sacrificing its existence to bring this slab to our world..."
"I wonder if it intended to convey a message to us... We've examined the slab thoroughly, yet found nothing. There are no hidden clues within it. Whatever this being sought to communicate... we may never know now..."
Ashtel approached the deceased Sortilegan, placing his palm upon its head to better analyze its physical state using mana detection.
A deep furrow formed on Ashtel's brow as he did so.
"This individual... bears no wounds, nor any indication of internal trauma... its body is perfectly preserved... so how did it meet its demise?"
"There are no traces of vitality or soul fluctuations. I am certain it is deceased... but the cause remains a mystery..."
Riku affirmed with a solemn tone,
"That is precisely what I wished to show you... When we found this creature, it was already lifeless. Despite my utmost efforts, I cannot fathom the reason or method of its death..."
"Its body shows no signs of soul activity... it may sound strange, but..."
"I suspect this creature either lacked a soul from the outset or its soul was violently extracted, leaving behind a soulless husk that merely exists without true life..."
Ashtel's frown intensified upon hearing this hypothesis.
"How is it even conceivable for a being to exist without a soul while remaining alive?... That would classify it as undead, yet this entity shows no signs of miasma corruption within its body either..."
"Therefore, this is unlikely to be a result of miasma. As for the siphoning of a soul..."
"I am aware of only two individuals possessing the requisite ability and mastery to extract a soul without inflicting the slightest bodily harm... One was the demon prince Alverto, who perished a year ago at Rio's hand..."
"And the other is Rio himself... and to my knowledge, this is unlikely to be his doing; he has never set foot in the Beast Archipelago. Had he been here, he would have informed me when we were preparing for this expedition..."
Riku folded his arms across his chest, a sense of helplessness washing over him in the face of this enigma.
"The deceased body only appeared here a few days ago... the demon prince Alverto died over a year in the past; I doubt this is his doing either..."
"Sigh... it appears we are once again left without answers..."
Ashtel also shook his head in resignation, acknowledging that this predicament surpassed his current understanding.
"I have delved deeply into ancient histories and lore, but even I have no knowledge of this unknown race... Our most viable recourse is likely to request the Elf King to contact the World Tree's primary consciousness for any insights it might possess regarding this matter..."
The World Tree is an entity of immense antiquity; elves believe it has existed since the very genesis of time.
Consequently, if any being on this planet were to hold clues about this ancient race, it would undoubtedly be the venerable World Tree. And if even it remained uninformed, then this puzzle would be truly unsolvable.
"By the way, how did you ascertain that this race was called 'Sortilega'... the adamantium slab does not appear to contain any such mention..."
In response to the question, Riku sheepishly scratched the back of his neck and replied,
"Uh... actually, the name was my own creation. It felt strange to continuously refer to them as an ancient dead race, so I decided to give them a proper designation based on their abilities..."
"The term ’Sortilega’ signifies an individual who foretells the future by drawing lots or using cards..."
"Given that these beings possess the capability to predict the future through their distinct bloodline powers... I believe this appellation suits them rather well..."
Ashtel considered Riku's choice of nomenclature to be passable, though not exceptional. He mused that if the deceased individual were aware of their race being assigned such a moniker, they might become quite incensed.
"While the reason for this creature's appearance here remains an enigma... it is fortunate that you brought it to my attention. Upon the Elf King's arrival, I shall request his assistance in securing this area and establishing contact with the World Tree..."
"Furthermore, we could invite Rio to examine this corpse. This would allow us to ascertain whether any minute soul fragments remain within it..."