Reincarnated as a Failed Villain: Fallen Angel
Chapter 62 Arc 2 - Red-Eyed God's Secret

Alena guided Lucas through the ancient forest, his eyes growing wide in wonder as the landscape changed dramatically. The canopy of trees blocked out the sun, casting the forest in a deep shade of green. An eerie silence hung over the woods - no birds sang, and no snow insects buzzed in the air. All that could be heard was their own footsteps crunching on the dry leaves.

Lucas and his companion made their way through the densely wooded area, the crunch of leaves and twigs beneath their feet until the trees started to diminish, and the light of day was replaced by a deep gray. Lucas looked ahead and spotted a large cave entrance. He quickened his pace and stepped closer, his breath catching in his throat as he took in the view. The ceiling was high and smooth, like a dome, and protruding from the ground were numerous long-formed stalagmites, some of them reaching up to the roof. Lucas knew right away that this must've been created by lava flow thousands of years ago. He gazed at the magnificent sight and released a soft sigh of awe.

After walking for several minutes, Lucas stopped abruptly and turned back to face Alena. "Sorry to interrupt, but I have something important to discuss."

"Y-Yes?" Alena's tone shifted slightly, indicating nervousness.

"First things first: I want you to stay behind me," Lucas said, pointing at the path ahead of them. He didn't want her to notice his plans to gather rocks from the cave and use them as a catalyst, then continued, "Now, let us begin."

Lucas took two steps into the cave and felt an energy from the walls that soothed his soul. The smell of wet limestone and an energizing hum filled his lungs as he closed his eyes and breathed it in. He moved his hands as if he was scooping it up, cupping it in his palms, and smiled. "Ah, yes. That's the stuff."

He knew that this was the place he would be able to use as a catalyst for reviving the dead. Now, all he needed to do was gather the dead body, which should take a few minutes if he chose to fly. With that thought in mind, Lucas proceeded further into the caverns.

The moment Lucas set foot inside the cave, his senses immediately picked up the presence of a creature hiding somewhere within the darkness. He sensed its aura and followed its trail with ease. He traced its scent with his nose and realized it came from deep within the earth.

When Lucas neared the end of the tunnel, he caught a glimpse of its tail disappearing into another dark hole in the wall. He inhaled deeply, closing his nostrils and sniffing hard. He could feel its essence lingering close to him, but not too far. It wanted him to follow, but it kept itself hidden.

"Mhm?" Lucas turned back but only saw Alena staring blankly at him with wide eyes. "Is something wrong?" he asked, noticing that she appeared anxious.

"N-No...it's nothing," Alena stammered nervously.

Lucas squinted, his gaze tracing the faint lines of scattered footprints on the ground that the creature had left. The hairs on the back of his neck rose in anticipation, and he felt a race of excitement coursing through his veins as he followed the trail. His breathing was slow and shallow as he quieted his mind, allowing his instincts to take over. He felt a sharp tug at his gut, commanding him to move forward. And suddenly, there it was—the beast!

A giant black beast sat like a statue near the cave floor, blocking Lucas's way forward. The beast was gigantic, a massive pile of burning coal with two small, black beady eyes sunk deep into its skull. Its body was half buried in the ground and emitted a burning stench. A short silver mane ran down its neck to the middle of its back. It was completely black except for its silver scales that resembled armor.

The creature's eyes glowed with a sickly yellow light, and its huge gaping maw moved slowly, revealing an array of razor-sharp fangs. Its needle-like claws flexed, ready to lunge, and the beast emitted a low, menacing growl that chilled the air.

Lucas's voice was thick with warning as he spoke. His knuckles were white, and he clenched his fist. Black energy swirled around his hands like liquid smoke, and small blades of energy shimmered around his hands. "Go back, Alena," he said. "This is going to get brutal."

Alena quickly stepped back, "H-Hold on, sir! This is the guardian of the temple!" she cried out, standing between the creature and Lucas.

"S-Sorry to intrude, but please let us through." she bowed her head low before the creature.

The monster roared, shaking the entire cave with its force. The walls trembled violently, causing cracks to spread across them. Dust fell from the ceiling and covered both Lucas and Alena in gray powdery flakes.

Lucas' mouth's corners lifted as he took in the figure before him. "He looks aggressive."

Standing upright on two muscular legs, its body combined both man and beast. Its neck extended from its powerful shoulders and curved downwards to a thin snout, revealing pairs of sharp fangs that glinted in the dim light. Two horns protruded from its forehead, curving up towards the ceiling, while four pairs of muscular arms connected to its legs, ending in large clawed paws. Its torso was covered in thick fur, and Lucas noticed that it had no clothing on, exposing its naked body to the chill night air. The creature seemed almost alive as it stared at Lucas with its glowing yellow orbs.

"It would be bad to kill it?" Lucas questioned Alena. His bloodlust started to make her shiver.

"Yes! It would reveal the temple to the outside world!" Alena exclaimed and spread her hands

"Then get this beast under control." Lucas sighed, annoyed. He retracted his mana and muttered. "If only the Holy kingdom wouldn't bother these people, there wouldn't be a need for Red-eyed worshipers to hide the temple."

Alena bit her lip hard, trying to hold back tears. "We've been protecting the temple for generations, but our numbers have dwindled lately. We fear the day may arrive when we will no longer have the strength to defend ourselves."

Lucas took a deep breath, calming himself down. "Alright, I understand," he said, still standing behind Alena.

"T-Thank you." she smiled shyly. Then she turned around and gazed at the monster. "P-Please let us through."

The monster reared back its head and unleashed a deafening roar. Its massive, reptilian body coiled up and quivered with anticipation as if it was ready to spring at a moment's notice. Its glowing red eyes were trained on Lucas, and its nostrils flared in response to the foreign intruder's unmistakable bloodlust. Nothing would stop it from protecting its master's temple by any means necessary.

Lucas sighed. He gently pulled Alena out of his way and bowed to the monster. "Please let me through. I am not going to cause any harm to the temple."

The monster's yellow eyes narrowed, scrutinizing Lucas as he spoke, searching for any hint of a lie. The beast could sense the tingle of violence in the air, but something in Lucas' gaze convinced him to let him pass. With a guttural growl, it lumbered away, and the door slammed shut behind him as soon as he was out of sight.

Lucas followed closely behind Alena as she led him inside the cave. The interior was dimly lit by flickering torches placed along the walls. The floor was littered with piles of rocks that resembled stalactites hanging from the roof. The walls were rough stone, which gave the impression of being carved directly out of rock. There were no decorations or furniture present—just empty rooms.

"It is a bit disappointing," Lucas said. "All I see are empty rooms."

"This is the main hall," Alena answered. "But it isn't big enough to accommodate more than ten people."

They continued walking further into the cavernous building until they came upon a large room located in the middle of the structure. The walls surrounding it were decorated with intricate carvings depicting scenes of nature and creatures such as dragons and wolves. At the center of the wall hung a giant painting of the red-eyed god in action: summoning lightning bolts from the heavens and throwing them at the meteor while using a barrier to protect the citizens. The image depicted a scene that happened thousands of years ago, and yet it looked so real that Lucas thought he saw sparks flying off the god's fingers.

"This is amazing." Lucas muttered. Something about this drawing felt nostalgic, but he couldn't grasp what exactly it was that triggered these feelings in him.

Alena stared at the painting with reverence. "We have preserved our culture in every detail since ancient times. We believe that it will keep us safe from calamities and disasters," she said softly.

Then she pointed to the ceiling and said, "Look up there."

Above the entrance, a gigantic statue stood tall, each holding a large rock symbolizing the meteorite. The statues were positioned to face the same direction as the paintings. They appeared lifelike, standing still despite having been created centuries ago.

"Those are the guardians of the temple. Their job is to guard this place, keeping it safe from intruders," Alena informed him.

Lucas stepped up to the sculpture and practically gawked at its beauty. With its graceful curves and finely carved details, it was stunning. He reached out and ran his fingers over the arm, marveling at its strength. All over its body was a coating of gold, glinting in the light of the torches. Even the veins seemed like they were carved out of streams of lava. An armor made of shiny gold adorned its torso while a cloak of silver cascaded down its neck. But what mesmerized him most were the dozens of red crystal eyes that dotted the body.

"He wasn't a god..." Lucas muttered in shock. "He was an angel."