While the fight between the Chosen and Master of the knight was happening. One Chosen suppressed his bloodlust and entered the chamber of the queen.
It is Man-man.
He enters the chamber and felt a coldness inside of it. It isn't just cold though. He can tell that it is sinister and far too unnatural. This place belongs to the queen. So, his reaction to entering this chamber is his body's instinctual response that this place isn't for him.
But he still proceeds forward with a straight face.
There is no expression on his face. It is like he didn't just get so close to dying. But even if he did it really didn't faze him much. He is also seemed to worrying more about something else that happened when he was so close to turning into a sinned soul.
He always wanted to know why do living things die and then turn into a sinned soul. But he got so close to it and then saw nothing. That is just strange.
Or what if. He forgot about seeing something.
That is a possibility. But if that is the case, then he can't do anything. If it was that easy to figure about the truth. Then everyone would've known and he wouldn't have to be so puzzled about it.
Finding the truth is impossible because of that. As even getting revived from death by a Chosen's blessing would just make you forget what happened. He isn't even sure if that kind of blessing even exist though.
It is still a strange concept to wrap his head around but he can think about it for hours when he is done.
For now, he observes the surroundings and admires them. The queen's chamber is the only place here inside the mountainous soul that looks like it is frozen in time.
He had thought for one second that maybe this whole chamber is a frozen blessing. But no, that is a ridiculous thought. However, It is still quite a unique place. He can't tell if this chamber is blessed by the queen or cursed. She lived here and planned her betrayal for the kind.
Man-man isn't sure about the story. He heard it from a prophet. That prophet was the reason he is here too.
According to that prophet, she betrayed the king by pulling his blessing and soul form his body. Then making a frozen blessing out of him.
Later she wore that frozen blessing and forced the pawns (all the people under king's rule) to die off against a completed sinned soul. They didn't question her command and did as she said. Her words had become the words of the king.
There many people of King who didn't like what queen did.
One of these people was the knight. He planned an assassination on the queen. However, queen was too powerful.
The knight died because it fought against her one on one. She killed it without much effort. However, its death only made another monster that rampaged on and on. Later, queen cursed its armor and made it into its own prison.
There was also someone who didn't want to harm queen. Nor he was wanted to go along with her. The bishop died alone in a prison cell. Maybe a peaceful death for him.
Then there was the loyal Rock. It followed her order even after her betrayal to the king. He died while fighting the completed sinned soul.
Then there was the he elusive jester? Nobody knew what happen with that man. It died? Or maybe ran away? Or did nothing and just watched with a terrible smile. Even the prophet wasn't sure.
In the end, she ruined their own people and kingdom. After that, she disappeared.
What prophet told him wasn't really a story. But just the events that occurred in the past. It is strange that the prophet wouldn't know many details about the king and the queen. Or about their appearance. As the prophet gets vision of the important events of the past and the future.
It would also be interesting to know for Man-man. How the people of that time looked like. Did they look like ordinary humans. Something entirely different.
But No luck with that.
Man-man had made a theory that these people were somehow based like a Chess pieces. But with the inclusion of jester. He isn't sure anymore. That jester is as mysterious as the queen. However, not as important.
Even with that knowledge, it doesn't clear anything. There are too many unanswered questions and missing puzzle pieces. He is very curious to know about it. His disinterested face show nothing of that though.
Man-man has searched the whole place. He observed many oddities and quite a lot of interesting trinkets. There wasn't anything that resembled furniture. He isn't sure if she never had any from the beginning. Or was destroyed as the time move on.
Soon enough though, he found what he was looking for too. The frozen blessing of the queen.
And then a voice suddenly enters his ears.
"So, you really found it…"
Man-man looks beside him and finds the soulless eyes that are watching the frozen blessing of the queen. The Chosen is a woman who is unnourished and quite weak from one glance.
But look can be deceiving. Man-man knows that she is dangerous and can kill anyone with one touch. Her blessing let her teleport anywhere and that is how she suddenly appeared beside him.
However, there is a catch in her blessing. She can teleport anywhere as long as there is another Chosen. And if she wants to teleport long distances then she needs to connect her flesh to the another Chosen. That basically means she needs to feed on Chosen's flesh.
She found out about her blessing capability of teleporting her long distance because she is a cannibal. She enjoying eating Chosen.
She only managed to appear here because Man-man is also here. It can explain much more easily if you see a Chosen as a gateway that she uses to teleport from one place to another.
Her blessing is limiting. But her blessing shines much more in combat. Her teleportation can make her a deadly attacker. She can appear out of different angels to attack. And if she has devoured your flesh. Then it is impossible to escape her.
Man-man only let her eat his flesh after knowing everything about her Blessing. He wanted to make sure what he was getting himself into. He was cautious in his judgement and he doesn't regret it.
"Give a warming next time, Nolla. You scared me half to death."
She answers in confusion.
"Did I scare you, ? It is hard to tell with your face."
Man-man just watches her and says nothing. Between the two it is hard to tell who is a soulless Chosen.
Nolla is eyes look soulless and have a distinct inhumane personality. She doesn't look much bothered by her surroundings. She doesn't even feel the wrongness of the queen's chamber.
She is blessing who gained sentient. To Man-man, she has many differences from an ordinary Chosen. She is robotic and cold. Maybe, he is also like that. But there is a definitely a difference between the two.
Man-man doesn't lack emotions. He just doesn't want to be bothered by them. He has locked his joys and sorrows from his childhood. It was a necessary decision to be distant form these things.
Nolla doesn't care about these unnecessary things. She doesn't ask how is Man-man. Or what sort of things he did to get here. For her, asking these questions would be better in a more comfortable environment. Man-man would also surely agree.
"This frozen blessing is unique. Is that all you found?"
Man-man thinks for a moment and then answers carefully.
"Yes. There isn't any other frozen blessing that worth much."
He didn't mention King's frozen blessing as Skin might be near the king's chamber. So, he wants to avoid going there.
It wants to say going there would be a hassle. Also, he would have to deal with her. However, even if he says that she is a hassle. There is a little fear in his heart that she would die if Nolla were to fight her.
Nolla is observing her careful. She is very vigilant Chosen and so she is good at finding differences in Chosen's behavior. She finds him odd and so she speaks.
"You look different from before. Why is that?"
A long time has passed here and it is true that he is changed a little. The change is so little that it is impossible to notice at first glance. But should he acknowledge that change?
"I am just tired. That is all."
She nods and then looks through the queen's chamber. She doesn't find this place to be much different. But she is intrigued by it.
She should bring this place with her.
And so, she peels her skin off and let herself bleed. Her action doesn't really take much effort. Her nails are tough.
After making herself bleed, she throws the blood all over the chamber. She cover's all of the four walls and corners of the room. Her blood is thick and looks quite alien to Man-man.
She is done after few minutes. Then she holds a hand to Man-man.
"Ready?"
Man-man broke his promise to Skin. He didn't think that Nolla would come the moment he has found the queen's blessing. Maybe if she hadn't then he would've gone to meet for one more time.
But he can't do it. He has to leave her behind.
There is a connection in his heart that tells him that she is alive. There is a warmth in that connection that he doesn't understand. He wishes that he could though.
He sighs in his mind. But he couldn't help by sigh in real.
He holds Nolla's hand and then the whole place changes. The queen chamber itself it folding it on itself. His flesh is also folding in towards Nolla. This means that he is leaving Hell and Skin behind.
He can't help but hate himself for it.